The Case for Expanded Language Access on Washington State Driver Knowledge Tests

Washington is a state of great linguistic diversity: over 20% of people in Washington live in a household where a language other than English is spoken, often in addition to English. Nearly eight percent of the population, or over 600,000 people, report speaking English less than “very well.” Yet despite the diverse makeup of Washington residents, there are multiple barriers to accessing services in languages other than English at the Washington Department of Licensing (DOL).