Data Collection Methodology

From 2004 to 2009, UW's Mapping and Enhancing Language Learning (MELL) Project collected language data via MELL surveys of schools. Since 2010, MELL has utilized data from the world languages enrollments reported in the OSPI Comprehensive Education Data and Research System (CEDARS). CEDARS is a longitudinal data warehouse of educational data based on standardized state course codes. CEDARS records student "enrollments" at each school by state course code. These enrollments may represent actual seat-time classes in the school or credits earned by students through online courses, Running Start classes at a community college, or competency-based credits, i.e. credits earned by students demonstrating proficiency in the language.

Trends

One of the goals of the MELL project has been to report on trends in language offerings and provide supporting data. The following trend reports compare the percentage of specific languages offered by schools in the state across multiple years.

High School Comparisons 2012-2014-2017-2019 (PDF)
Comparison of the percentage of specific languages reported for public high schools in 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2019.

High School Comparisons 2004-2007-2009-2010 (PDF)
Comparison of the percentage of specific languages reported for public high schools in 2004, 2007, 2009, and 2010.

High School Comparisons 2004-2007-2009 (PDF)
Comparison of the percentage of specific languages reported for public high schools in 2004, 2007, and 2009.

Elementary, Middle, High School Comparisons 2007-2008 (PDF)
Comparison of the percentage of specific languages reported for public elementary and middle schools in 2008 and high schools in 2007.

High School Comparisons 2004-2007
Comparison of the percentage of specific languages reported for public high schools in 2004 and 2007.

MELL Datasets

2019 Dataset from CEDARs
CEDARS High School World Language Enrollments Spring 2019 (Excel)

2017 Dataset from CEDARs
CEDARS High School World Language Enrollments Spring 2017 (Excel)

2014 Dataset from CEDARs
CEDARS High School World Language Enrollments Spring 2014 (Excel)

2013 Dataset from CEDARs
CEDARS High School World Language Enrollments Spring 2013 (Excel)

2012 Dataset from CEDARs
CEDARS High School World Language Enrollments Spring 2012 (Excel)

2009 Dataset: Consists of 396 High Schools that submitted a MELL Survey in 2008-2009
All High Schools by Year 2004-2007-2009, sorted by County (PDF)
List of all high schools in the dataset with indicators of which year(s) the school submitted a MELL survey.

All High Schools by Year 2004-2007-2009, sorted by District (PDF)
List of all high schools in the dataset with indicators of which year(s) the school submitted a MELL survey. This list is based on the master list of high schools being used for the 2008-9 MELL Survey of High Schools. (Some schools that were previously listed in 2004 or 2007 are no longer listed by OSPI.)

Summary of High Schools by County (years 2004, 2007, 2009) (PDF)
List of counties in the state with number and percentage of high schools that submitted a MELL survey in 2004, 2007, and/or 2009.

Summary of High Schools by District (years 2004, 2007, 2009) (PDF)
List of districts in the state with number and percentage of high schools that submitted a MELL survey in 2004, 2007, and/or 2009.

2007 Dataset
All High Schools by Year 2004-2007
List of all high schools in the dataset with indicators of which schools submitted a MELL survey in 2004 and/or 2007.

MELL Schools by Language

MELL High Schools 2009 by Language (PDF)
List of public high schools that submitted a MELL Survey in 2009 indicating which schools reported offering (or not offering) world languages, plus lists of schools by each language.

MELL Elementary Schools 2008 by Language (PDF)
List of public elementary schools that submitted a MELL Survey in 2008 indicating which schools reported offering (or not offering) world languages, plus lists of schools by each language.

MELL Middle Schools 2008 by Language (PDF)
List of public middle schools that submitted a MELL Survey in 2008 indicating which schools reported offering (or not offering) world languages, plus lists of schools by each language.

MELL High Schools 2007 by Language
List of high schools that submitted a MELL Survey in 2007 indicating which schools reported offering (or not offering) world languages, plus lists of schools by each language.