Limited English Proficient (LED)

Limited English Proficient (LEP) is a term used to describe individuals who are not fluent in English. This term is also used in educational settings to identify kids over the age of five who do not speak English proficiently and whose understanding of the English language is less than adequate to succeed in English-only classrooms.

In recent years there has been an increase in undocumented immigration and high sustained flows of immigration which has dramatically increased the number of individuals who are LED. For instance, in the 1990s, according to the United States census, more than 14 million immigrants entered the United States. The number is substantially higher than in any other decades in U.S. history. Millions more immigrants entered the U.S. in the next 13 years.

Most bilingual educational programs were launched in the early 1970s, and today each of the nation's 10 most populous states have some kind of mandate for bilingual education, many of which are funded with local and state money. Proponents of bilingual education believe "there are benefits to children when teachers incorporate native language instruction as much as possible." Critics of bilingual education argue LEP students should be forced to move quickly to English-language classrooms and giving LEP students special help in English helps ensure their integration and success in the United States' economy.