AABE: LEARNING ENGLISH IN THE NEWS 2008

Do undocumented children in the public school system have educational rights?

June 27, 2008 Arizona Daily Star Horne releases new guidelines for English learners The state's education chief released further guidance Thursday on how school districts should teach English- language learners next year — but it isn't clear exactly how the guidelines impact local districts.

June 13, 2008 Associated Press English learner changes shelved

PHOENIX — A state panel is pouring cold water on the desires of most of the Arizona school districts that want to use customized alternatives to the state's model for instruction of students learning English.

June 10, 2008 Arizona Daily Star Districts have better plan on English learners
TUCSON- The debate over how to best ensure that students who don't know English become fluent in reading, writing and comprehension has pitted several local school districts against the Arizona Department of Education. The crux of the battle is a state requirement, supported by state superintendent Tom Horne, that students who are not proficient in English be segregated for four hours per day for intensive English instruction beginning next school year.

June 5, 2008 Associated Press Schools seek changes to English learning requirement TUCSON- Two Tucson area school districts say they can do a better job of teaching English to non-English speakers and they intend to seek alternatives to a teaching mandate from the state Legislature.
In 2006, the Legislature mandated that students not proficient in English must be segregated four hours a day to learn English beginning with the 2008-09 school year.

May 31, 2008 Capitol Media Services Horne Start immersion classes without delay PHOENIX — Arizona schools should not be allowed to avoid enrolling all their English learners in special immersion courses in the coming year while the adequacy of funding is debated, state School Superintendent Tom Horne said Thursday.

April 24, 2008 Arizona Daily Star English mandates are found challenging A state audit released Wednesday found that school districts will have to make big changes to comply with new requirements for teaching the state's 138,000 students who aren't proficient in English. School officials, particularly those in rural areas, told auditors that they lacked the space and staffing to comply with the new mandates, which kick in after students return from summer break and which require four hours a day of separate instruction to help English learners develop English skills.

April 18, 2008 Capitol Media Services States English-learner appeal rejected by court PHOENIX — Arizona cannot limit additional aid to students to help them learn English to just two years, a federal appeals court affirmed Thursday. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected arguments by attorneys for Republican legislative leaders and state school superintendent Tom Horne that they can limit how long Arizona taxpayers have to finance the programs designed to teach English.

April 15, 2008 Capitol Media Services Gov. refuses to sign English-learner bill but lets it become law PHOENIX — Gov. Janet Napolitano agreed Monday to provide $40.6 million in new state funds for English learners, one day ahead of a deadline set by a federal judge. But she refused to actually sign the measure, to show she doesn't believe the funding resolves the issue. Instead, Napolitano let the bill become law without her signature.

April 11, 2008 Capitol Media Services Senate OKs $40.6M for English learners

PHOENIX — By the narrowest of margins, the state Senate approved spending an additional $40.6 million this coming school year to provide English-language instruction.

All that's left now is for the governor to approve.

April 10, 2008 Capitol Media Services Increased funds for English on fast track PHOENIX — Facing a Tuesday deadline, the state House voted Wednesday to add another $40.6 million to programs designed to teach English to students who come to school speaking other languages.

April 2, 2008 Arizona Republic Fining gov. in ELL case floated PHOENIX — The attorney for parents suing the state over English-language funding told a federal judge on Tuesday that he should consider imposing personal fines against the governor if the state doesn't meet the April 15 deadline to fund the programs as ordered.

March 7, 2008 Arizona Republic Attorney wants funds to be set aside by Legislature for language instruction "...Hogan's filing sets the stage for a Monday hearing before Collins on when the state must have an adequate funding plan in place to educate English-language learners. A state law requires schools to offer four hours a day of English-language instruction beginning with the fall semester. Lawmakers faced a March 4 deadline for a spending plan but have asked for an extension to April 18."

Feb. 23, 2008 Arizona Republic Appeals court upholds judge's order on ELL deadline for Arizona "A federal appeals panel ruled Friday that English-language instruction law is so flawed that it "may well retard or reverse whatever progress has been" made in the instruction of more than 134,000 Arizona children who are struggling to learn English."