Creating Policies to Better Serve Diverse AANHPI Populations

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Findings

The rapid rise in AANHPI populations has been driven by a substantial increase in Asian American people due to the revocation of exclusionary immigration policies and the Refugee Act of 1980; these shifts have been accompanied by movement of NHPI people through out-migration from the Pacific Islands and Hawaii for economic reasons, which has diversified the location of AANHPI children and families beyond traditional geographic concentrations. Our analysis of 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates examines child populations in every state and finds that:

• Nationally, nearly 3.7 million (5.0%) of children under age 18 are AANHPI, ranging from just 0.6 percent of children in Wyoming and Mississippi to 34.3 percent of children in Hawaii.
• More than one in five states have a higher proportion of AANHPI children than the national average: Hawaii, California, New Jersey, Washington, Alaska, New York, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Nevada, and Minnesota.
• The greatest total number of AANHPI children live in California (1,057,215) and Texas (328,773).

This growing population of AANHPI children has unique and diverse experiences at home.

• For example, our analysis found that the vast majority of AANHPI children live in households with at least one foreign-born parent (85.6%) and more than one third live in households in which at least one parent does not have U.S. citizenship (40.4%).

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Percentage and total number of child population that is AANHPI, by state

Sources: Populations estimates are derived from authors’ analysis of Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) 2021 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates. AAPI curriculum status identified by Kerr, E., Tse, S., Gu, J. & Tse, J-M. (2022). AAPI and Ethnic Studies Requirements for K-12 Students in America’s Public Schools [White paper]. New York, NY: Committee of 100.

Notes: AANHPI Children = Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander individuals under age 18 identified as Chinese, Japanese, or Other Asian or Pacific Islander in the 2021 ACS. Children identified as Hispanic or multiracial, in addition to AANHPI, are not included in AANHPI estimates.

1. State has statutes that require a statewide K-12 Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) studies curriculum or includes AAPI studies in their K-12 academic standards.

2. State has introduced legislation to require AAPI studies in K-12.

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Policies to Support AANHPI Children and Families

We recommend that policymakers across the country create and implement policies that address the specific needs and circumstances of AANHPI children and families, with implementation strategies responsive to unique challenges and opportunities. Below is a sampling of research-backed state policies that can serve as models for consideration in other states.

Culturally responsive learning

In some states, culturally responsive learning experiences for AANHPI children have been incorporated into K-12 education. Illinois became the first state to require an AAPI¹ studies curriculum through a standalone bill, ahead of states with more sizable AANHPI communities (only 5% of Illinois’ child population identified as AANHPI in 2021; the above map). As of August 2022, 10 states had statutes that required statewide AAPI studies curricula and 12 states and the District of Columbia included AAPI studies in their academic standards (together, these 22 states and the District of Columbia are identified using superscript 1 on the above map); 13 states had introduced legislation to require AAPI studies (superscript 2 on the above map).

In Hawaii, where 26.4 percent of the population identifies as Native Hawaiian (alone and in combination with other races), the state Constitutional Convention in 1978 recognized the detrimental impacts of colonization and assimilation policies on Native Hawaiian language and culture and called for “comprehensive Hawaiian education program consisting of language, culture and history…[in]…public schools.” AAPI studies are also important, for AANHPI and non-AANPHI students alike, to better understand complex histories, combat troubling perceptions, and create more supportive learning environments. For these curricula to have the intended impact, states must ensure dedicated funding streams and equitable review of lesson content.

Targeted support for inclusion and language access

Several broad federal policies are intended for populations that include AANHPI children and families, including those designed to support immigrant, refugee, socioeconomically disadvantaged, and limited English proficiency (LEP) families. As states implement these policies, they can do so in ways that directly address the unique circumstances of AANHPI populations.

We offer one example: States receiving funding for child care subsidies through the Child Care and Development Fund (CCDF) are required to provide consumer education materials to help households with lower incomes make informed child care and early education (CCEE) choices and improve their knowledge of child care and child development. Providing these materials in multiple languages and tailoring distribution to immigrant or LEP communities can expand knowledge of CCEE among key AANHPI populations and improve their decision-making agency. Additionally, Head Start grantees, for instance, are required to support dual language learners by supporting children’s home languages in the classroom and creating welcoming environments that incorporate the cultural and linguistic backgrounds of families in the community. Effective implementation of policies that support dual language learners can be especially important to AANHPI children—many of whom are dual language learners who need both English and home language support to effectively participate in school and achieve academic success.

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Conclusion

AANHPI children represent a rapidly growing population with diverse experiences and unique needs and assets. To advance equity for AANHPI communities, state governments should partner with AANHPI populations to review their existing policies and center these populations’ voices to create and advance culturally affirming, equity-centered policies.

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Footnote

¹ We use the term AAPI, rather than AANHPI, to reflect the language used in most curriculum bills introduced in these states.