While the United States has always been to some extent a multicultural and multilingual society, the last 15 years have brought about rapid demographic change to our country.

Significantly impacted by the effects of a globalized and neo-liberal economy and new strategic military world order, the U.S. has seen one of the largest waves of immigration in our nation's history. Residents from other countries, searching for educational and economic opportunities, are rapidly transforming the U.S. demographic and linguistic landscape. Furthermore, as certain states and cities increasingly adopt policies and practices designed to deter immigrant and non-English-speaking families and children from settling in their midst, the demography is shifting to states and towns not traditionally associated with immigration or non-English-speakers. This conference will explore the impact these new Americans are making on these "new destinations" and the way school systems have responded to this migration in general and the immigrant students in particular.

Situated in the Pacific Northwest, Oregon is recognized for its geographical beauty. A rugged Pacific coast, pine-covered hills, rushing rivers, snow-capped mountains, and environmental friendliness all come to mind when people think of Oregon.

Few would think, however, that Oregon is rapidly transforming into a very ethnically and linguistically diverse state as immigrant families have made this state one of their top new destinations in the country, as evidenced by the growth of ELs in Oregon public schools by over 133% since 1994. The College of Education at the University of Oregon acknowledges these changes and invites scholars, students, policymakers, and practitioners to the Eugene, Oregon campus June 25-27, 2009 to participate in the inaugural University of Oregon Conference on Biliteracy.

The organizers of this conference understand the complexities involved in education and the myriad of factors that impact how EL students function in an existing society, therefore, this conference is designed to provide a forum for scholarly research and practice which addresses the complex educational and social experiences of ethnically and linguistically diverse communities in schools in new and established destinations.