AABE News 2009

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

April 29, 2009 Arizona Daily Star Citizenship checks rightly illegal at schools
"Schools are prohibited by a 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision from asking students to prove legal residence."

April 20, 2009 Capitol Media Services Justices get AZ bilingual case today PHOENIX — On paper, the issue the U.S. Supreme Court will take up today is simple: Should Arizona lawmakers be forced to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to comply with a judge's ruling that they do more to ensure students learn English.

April 20, 2009 Arizona Republic Justices to hear Ariz. case A 17-year-old legal battle over how Arizona treats students who are still learning English will be argued today before the U.S. Supreme Court in a case the justices could use to set sweeping new limits on the power of the federal courts over states.

April 4, 2009 Associated Press NY gunman angry over poor English skills, job loss BINGHAMTON, N.Y. – The man who police say killed 13 people in a shooting rampage at an immigrant community center was depressed and angry over losing his job and about his poor English skills, officials said Saturday.

Feb. 12, 2009 Capitol Media Services Horne cuts funds for teaching English PHOENIX — State School Superintendent Tom Horne is cutting by three-quarters the funds paid to schools to help teach students learn English. Horne said Wednesday he thinks the schools can meet their legal requirements with $8.8 million in extra financing from the state this coming school year. That compares with $40.6 million provided this year.

Feb. 3, 2009 Nogales International NUSD adapts to teaching mandate "In spring 2008, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) issued a mandate to all school districts: separate your English language learners (ELLs) for four hours a day of intensive instruction until they are fluent in English ��“ reading, writing and speaking. It sounded like a good plan to the state Legislature. But it required schools to create more classes at each level, said officials of the Nogales Unified School District No. 1. Where was the money for more teachers?"

Jan 15, 2009 Arizona Republic Kids still losers in English-learner suit "...Mr. Horne has declared that the lesson is: "We are still smart enough to rule ourselves through our elected officials and we don't need an aristocracy of federal judges ruling over us."
Mr. Hogan, on the other hand, believes that the lesson being taught is: "Some people are more willing to spend money on high-priced lawyers than on kids." Later, there will be a quiz in which I might ask you which of those two statements is closer to being accurate.
(Hint: It's the SECOND one.)"

Jan 9, 2009 Associated Press US Supreme Court enters Arizona's English learning fight The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether Arizona is providing enough money for programs for students who are learning the English language. The justices said Friday that they will consider overturning lower court rulings that the state has failed to provide adequate funding for programs for students who are learning English and that the failure violates a federal law requiring equal opportunities in education.

Jan 7, 2009 Arizona Republic Report gives Ariz. education mixed grades PHOENIX- "...'Quality Counts 2009: Portrait of a Population,' released today by Education Week magazine. This year the annual report added English-language learners to its analysis of states' efforts to hold schools accountable for educating all students. English-language learner students increased nationwide by 57 percent between 1995 and 2005 and now number about 5.1 million.The report concludes that while most states have taken steps to address the increasing English-language learner population, many have varying degrees of success. "