This paper discusses effects of home language usage on minority student educational attainment in western China. Using survey data, the author finds that non-Chinese-speaking minority students are at a disadvantage in the transition to senior secondary schools. However, their transition to junior secondary schools is even more complicated. Rural non-Chinese-speaking minority students are at the greatest disadvantage, whereas non-Chinese-speaking minority students in the northwest benefit from a relatively complete bilingual education system there. (Contains 4 tables and 6 notes.)