Students face unique educational journeys, balancing their home languages and cultures with the expectations and social pressures of an American high school environment. For these bilingual and multicultural students, the experience often means shifting in and out of separate worlds that merge as they navigate school, home and their personal identity.

At home, some students switch from English into speaking their native language, helping translate for family or carry on their cultural traditions. At school, they may begin to adopt other behaviors or norms, such as speaking more English than their native language to fit in with classmates. These transitions bring both strength and challenges, bilingualism and multiculturalism can be a source of pride, but it can also feel like living in two worlds at once which can feel overwhelming.

According to the California Department of Education, almost 1.1 million public school students were English learners (ELS) in the 2024-2025 school year. Furthermore, approximately 39.5% of California students live in homes where another language other than English is spoken.

Junior Kiritpal Singh said his bilingual upbringing gives him a broader perspective on life.

“Being Indian and bilingual kind of gives me two sides of myself. It’s also made me more confident and proud of where I come from. Sometimes it can be tiring to constantly shift depending on where I am, but it’s also taught me flexibility and appreciation for diversity” Singh said. 

For Singh, being bilingual isn’t just about speaking another language, it’s about navigating expectations. Many students who speak another language take on extra responsibilities, like helping family members translate or explaining cultural differences. 

“Sometimes it’s really helpful, like when older family members who only speak Hindi need me to translate or explain things for them. But it can also be tough since some things I want to say don’t translate well in the other language,” Singh said.

While many students speak another language at home, only about 1% of California’s English learner students (ELs) were enrolled in bilingual or dual-language programs in the 2023-2024 school year, according to KPBS Public Media . This data from KPBS, highlights the presence of multilingual students and the gap in programs that support their bilingualism.

For some students, this gap affects daily life both at home and at school. It often creates moments where they have to switch between cultures without much guidance. Singh explains how the balance between the two cultures wasn’t always easy. 

“Yeah, sometimes at school I used to feel like I had to act more ‘American’ to blend in. But at home, my family expects me to hold on to my values. Over time, I’ve learned I don’t have to choose, I can be both. It’s about balancing it instead of hiding one side,” Singh said.

Other students share similar stories. Junior Aline Tran, who immigrated to the United

States, said her early experiences made her determined to help others who may feel the same cultural divide. 

“When I first came to the United States, I often felt out of place and had no one to talk to. That experience had a deep impact on me. Because of it, I want to do my best to support other multicultural students who may feel the same way,” Tran said. 

Her journey reflects the emotional toll many students face when trying to fit in. Tran said her identity has evolved through learning how to coexist in between the cultural expectations of the traditions of home and the social environment of school.

“Although living between two cultures has not been easy, I’m deeply grateful for this experience, it’s given me a broader perspective to shape the life I want,” Tran said. 

Finding balance, Tran said, can take time. It often means learning when to embrace differences instead of trying to hide them.

“Living in a different culture sometimes feels like acting, I can’t fully express my true self. It’s as if there’s a thin layer of plastic wrap separating me from the outside world. But I’ve learned to find balance between my own culture and the world around me,” Tran said. 

Experts say that supporting bilingual and multicultural students goes beyond language, it’s about fostering programs that connect cultural identities and encourage academic growth.

According to the National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition  (NCELA), research shows that dual-language education supports stronger academic outcomes, higher self-confidence, and increased long-term benefits. However, California still faces challenges in creating a sufficient bilingual and dual-language program and training enough bilingual teachers to support it, according to the California Budget and Policy Center.

Singh said schools could take more steps to create environments that celebrate cultural strengths rather than viewing bilingualism and multiculturalism as a barrier.

“Schools could do more to actually celebrate different cultures. It helps when teachers understand that bilingual students aren’t behind, they’re actually juggling more, and that’s a strength,” Singh said. 

Adding perspective from the classroom, English teacher Ludivina Magana, shared how her own bilingual and multicultural background shapes her teaching and supports students navigating similar experiences.

“I speak Spanish and I speak English. I try and bring that awareness to my classroom when doing my lessons and connecting those points and making sure that whatever they learn in the black and white print that’s given to them is also connected to their community,” Magana said.

By bringing the students’ communities into the classroom, Magana ensures that learning extends beyond textbooks and becomes contextually and personally meaningful. She emphasizes academic engagement through cultural connection as key to supporting bilingual students.

She also highlighted how schools can foster supporting environments that make learning relatable and encourage confidence.

“I think just making sure that whatever we have in terms of a theme or a unit that we’re focusing on, that we’re able to find a sense of community or outside activity that the students are already exposed to, to connect it to. So that way it’s more relatable and they can actually understand it and see what parallels there are. And it makes students feel more engaged and feel more seen. And if we can do that, then I feel that builds a stronger relationship with their understanding,” Magana said.

Her perspective reinforces the need for schools to create environments that embrace students’ bilingual and multicultural backgrounds, connecting to Singh’s point that celebrating diversity strengthens academic growth.

Their stories reflect an ever growing multicultural reality in California classrooms, one that holds stories and traditions, and promise when schools embrace the power of being bilingual and multicultural and their identities that come with it. By recognizing the strengths bilingual students bring and fostering supportive environments and programs, schools can help navigate the challenges of living between two worlds.

For some students, this balancing act is not just about language, it’s a journey of self-discovery into one’s own identity. The struggles, natural changes, and moments of connection all connect to a deeper feeling and understanding of how they belong in multiple communities at once and who they are. 

“I often wonder how my life and personality would have been if I had only lived within one culture or one country. Perhaps I would have had more courage to do what I truly wanted. The sense of separation between the two worlds has, in fact, helped me understand myself more deeply. With this experience, I believe I can go anywhere in the world without feeling alone,” Tran said.