Research on university-based Spanish heritage language programs in the United States: The state of affairs in 2022

Research on Spanish heritage language (SHL) education has grown exponentially in the last two decades. The most recent nationwide study on SHL programs in US postsecondary institutions was conducted a decade ago. To continue this line of research, the primary aim of this study is to provide an update about the current state of SHL course offerings at 4-year universities in the United States. SHL programs can promote academic success for Latinx students who see their language and culture asserted. In turn, valuing their heritage language skills and supporting their language development can help Latinx students expand their multilingual abilities for use with their families and communities, as well as in professional contexts. Results reveal that the last decade (2012-2022) witnessed tremendous increase in the availability of SHL programs, although some of the challenges reported in prior research still remain nationwide. Research on Spanish heritage language (SHL) education has grown exponentially in the past two decades, underscoring the benefits of SHL programs. However, the impact of this research on the spread of SHL programs is unknown. The main question that guides the present study is, given the surge of the Latinx student population in higher education and the mounting evidence supporting SHL education, what is the current state of university-based SHL programs?