REFERENCE TITLE: pilot; structured English immersion exemption

State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-first Legislature First Regular Session 2013

HB 2637

Introduced by Representatives Dalessandro, Gallego, Wheeler: Alston, Campbell, Contreras, Escamilla, Gabaldón, Gonzales, Hernández, McCune Davis, Quezada, Steele

 

AN ACT

 

establishing the structured English immersion exemption pilot program.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Structured English immersion exemption pilot program; report; delayed repeal

A.  The department of education shall conduct a five-year structured English immersion exemption pilot program and select up to five high schools to participate in the pilot program, no more than two of which are located in a county with a population of at least two million persons.  The department of education shall establish application procedures and selection criteria for schools that wish to apply to participate in the pilot program.  At least two of the schools selected to participate in the pilot program shall be charter schools, one of which is located in a county with a population of at least two million persons.  Pupils who are classified as English language learners in schools that are selected to participate in the pilot program shall be exempt from the structured English immersion requirements prescribed in title 15, chapter 7, article 3.1, Arizona Revised Statutes, for the duration of the pilot program.

B.  Each school selected to participate in the pilot program shall satisfy both of the following criteria:

1.  Demonstrates to the department of education the following annual measurable achievement objectives under the no child left behind act of 2001 (P.L. 107-110, 115 Stat. 1425):

(a)  That it meets or exceeds the annual measurable achievement objective percentage of English language learners who are making progress in learning English.

(b)  That it meets or exceeds the annual measurable achievement objective percentage of English language learners who are attaining proficiency in the English language by the end of the school year.

(c)  That it demonstrates adequate yearly progress for English language learners in meeting grade-level achievement standards in reading and mathematics.

2.  Is assigned a letter grade of A, B or C pursuant to section 15-241, subsection H.

C.  The department of education shall submit a report that summarizes the department's findings and conclusions about the effectiveness of the pilot program to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate on or before September 15, 2019.  The department shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state.  

D.  This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2020.