Max Cleland: “on March 7, 2001, the Washington Post reported that the recent census indicates a 60-percent growth in our Nation's…”

“on March 7, 2001, the Washington Post reported that the recent census indicates a 60-percent growth in our Nation's Hispanic population, which now totals 35.3 million. Georgia has also been witness to this growth. In 1991 the Hispanic student population in Dalton, GA, was only 4 percent and now 10 years later, Hispanic enrollment in Dalton public schools has skyrocketed to 51 percent. The data from the 1999-2000 school year show that 45 percent of students in Dalton and 13 percent in Whitfield County are Spanish speaking. There are children of hard-working families who are an important part of the Dalton community. Accordingly, business and community leaders in that north Georgia community recognize the need for innovative and comprehensive solutions to address the recent influx of immigrants. Recent studies show that where quality education programs are joined with community-based services, immigrants have an increased opportunity to become an integral part of their community and their children are better prepared to achieve success in school. The Georgia Project has provided an innovative solution to the needs of northwest Georgia. This is a teacher exchange program which brings bilingual teachers from Mexico to provide language instruction to all Dalton/Whitfield students.”