CCB - Cultural Diversity

The Coordinating Council of Broward
CCB

A Second Look at Cultural Diversity in Broward County (July 1996)
Executive Summary

This second look at cultural diversity in Broward County goes beyond the preliminary qualitative assessment completed in 1994 as part of the identification of community needs by The Coordinating Council of Broward. The report is based upon data collected uniformly by the School Board of Broward County since 1990 and covering place of origin and home/first language for all public school students in Kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12). This information represents the single most comprehensive source of periodic data on place of origin and cultural language and diversity in Broward County. As such, it represents a significant breakthrough in depicting Broward’s cultural diversity based upon objective data.

Summary of School Board Data
General Profile of K-12 Students (October, 1995)

Total # of Students	199,088
Total # of Students Born Outside the 50 United States	21,632
Total # of Places of Birth Represented	189
Total # of Students with a Non-English Home/First Language	26,522
Total # of Languages Spoken	79

Top 11 Languages Represented		Top 11 Places of Birth Represented
Spanish	14,425	Haiti	3,151
Haitian/Creole	7,501	Jamaica	2,907
Portuguese	953	Puerto Rico	1,578
French	528	Colombia	1,200
Chinese	375	Bahamas	1,031
Arabic	242	Brazil	994
Urdu	236	Venezuela	857
Vietnamese	224	Peru	831
Hebrew	212	Canada	716
Rumanian	195	Trinidad	589
Korean	178	Mexico	559

The data demonstrate the extraordinary range of both cultural origin and linguistic diversity in Broward County.
The data have been mapped by Traffic Analysis Zones to depict the distribution of K-12 students by place of origin and home/first language. Sample maps of the major groups are included in the report. Color intensity depicts relatively high numbers with respect to specific countries and languages among the student population. The picture is rich and not always straightforward. For instance, language does not always depict one country -- Spanish represents 20 Hispanic countries and Spanish-speaking American-born students.
The maps display the general distribution of cultural groups throughout the County and give an excellent picture of the range of diversity; however, they are not capable of demonstrating total cultural/ethnic magnitude. Recommendations are made to enhance the mapping and our understanding of the cultural topography of Broward County.

This issue profile was prepared by The Coordinating Council of Broward, with collaboration from the School Board of Broward County and the South Florida Regional Planning Council (SFRPC). The narrative was written by Judith Wingerd, research anthropologist, and eleven color maps were prepared by the SFRPC. For further information about the report or to obtain copies, please contact Richard F. Ogburn.

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Updated on Jan. 28, 1997