DATA STORY
Language access compliance data for City departments
The following dashboards show all self-reported data collected from City departments for the Language Access Ordinance.
Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant AffairsAbout the data
The San Francisco Language Access Ordinance (LAO) requires City departments to submit language access data to the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) for annual analysis.
The data included on this dashboard is for Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025.
The data is self-reported by the departments' LAO liaisons.
How to use the dashboard
- The dashboard data is interactive.
- You can filter some data by department by using the dropdown menu at the top right of the dashboard.
- To clear your selection, click the eraser icon in the upper right corner.
- To zoom in or out, or to view the data in a new window, use the navigation icons in the bottom right corner.
Key terms
San Francisco's required languages
The LAO requires City departments to provide language access services in the following 3 languages: Chinese (Cantonese and Mandarin), Spanish, and Filipino. For Fiscal Year 2024-2025, the "threshold" languages are designated once the City reaches 10,000 Limited English Proficient (LEP) residents who speak a shared language.
Limited English Proficient (LEP)
This term refers to individuals who do not speak English as their primary language. They have a limited ability to read, write, or understand English.
Interpretation and translation
Interpretation is spoken; translation is written. This distinction is crucial in providing language services.
Department compliance highlights
These data points show individual City departments' compliance with the Language Access Ordinance (LAO).
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Data notes and sources
This data covers Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 (from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025).
Areas with zeros or no data represent fields in the annual submission that were left blank by the Department.
LEP client interactions
The dashboard shows data on LEP clients who used City services, by language.
There is data from the current fiscal year and data over time.
You can filter the data by department.
Navigating dashboards with a keyboard
- Control + Enter to enter the dashboard
- Tab or Arrow to move between visuals
- Control + Right arrow to enter a visual or filter
- Escape to exit a visual, filter or dashboard
Navigating within a visual or filter
- Tab or Arrow to move around a table or visual
- Enter to select within a table or visual
- Spacebar to select or deselect a filter
Data notes and sources
The first dashboard's data covers Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 (from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). The second dashboard covers data from the last 10 fiscal years.
Areas with zeros or no data represent fields in the annual submission that were left blank by the Department.
Language services
The dashboard shows data on City departments' language services like:
- translated materials
- telephone interpretation
- in-person interpretation
- direct help in language
There is data from the current fiscal year and data over time.
Navigating dashboards with a keyboard
- Control + Enter to enter the dashboard
- Tab or Arrow to move between visuals
- Control + Right arrow to enter a visual or filter
- Escape to exit a visual, filter or dashboard
Navigating within a visual or filter
- Tab or Arrow to move around a table or visual
- Enter to select within a table or visual
- Spacebar to select or deselect a filter
Data notes and sources
The first dashboard's data covers Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 (from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). The second dashboard covers data from the last 10 fiscal years.
Areas with zeros or no data represent fields in the annual submission that were left blank by the Department.
Bilingual staffing
The dashboard shows data on City departments' bilingual staff.
There is data from the current fiscal year and data over time.
Navigating dashboards with a keyboard
- Control + Enter to enter the dashboard
- Tab or Arrow to move between visuals
- Control + Right arrow to enter a visual or filter
- Escape to exit a visual, filter or dashboard
Navigating within a visual or filter
- Tab or Arrow to move around a table or visual
- Enter to select within a table or visual
- Spacebar to select or deselect a filter
Data notes and sources
The first dashboard's data covers Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 (from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). The second dashboard covers data from the last 10 fiscal years.
Areas with zeros or no data represent fields in the annual submission that were left blank by the Department.
Language services budgets
The dashboard shows data City departments' annual budgets for language services.
There is data from the current fiscal year and data over time.
Navigating dashboards with a keyboard
- Control + Enter to enter the dashboard
- Tab or Arrow to move between visuals
- Control + Right arrow to enter a visual or filter
- Escape to exit a visual, filter or dashboard
Navigating within a visual or filter
- Tab or Arrow to move around a table or visual
- Enter to select within a table or visual
- Spacebar to select or deselect a filter
Data notes and sources
The first dashboard's data covers Fiscal Year (FY) 2024-2025 (from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025). The second dashboard covers data from the last 10 fiscal years.
Areas with zeros or no data represent fields in the annual submission that were left blank by the Department.
San Francisco language data
View language diversity data maps on the languages people speak at home in San Francisco. These maps use the most recent U.S. Census Bureau data available.