Mixed Needs of Immigrants Pose Challenges for Schools

Changing Face Immigration has dramatically shaped American society throughout the country's history, and it will help drive the United States' economy for decades to come. "The U.S. is the only country in the world where immigration is both our history and our destiny," says Marcelo Suarez-Orozco, a co-director of the Harvard Immigration Project.

Today, the United States is experiencing the largest wave of immigration since the turn of the 20th century. In 1990, about 13.7 percent of the U.S. population was foreign-born, about the same as in 1900. But while yesterday's immigrants came primarily from European countries, today's immigrants—about 1 million each year—come primarily from Asia and Central and South America.

Over the past 30 years, the country has seen another important shift in the demographics of immigrants: They're getting younger. In 1997, 44 percent were between the ages of 25 and 44, up from just 19 percent in 1960. About 22 percent were under age 25, up from...