Posted: June 11th, 2024

Complete the “Legislative Events and Issues”

Legislative Events and Issues

English Language Learners (ELLs) have been at the center of several legal cases and policies that have shaped language instruction in Arizona. Understanding these events is crucial for teachers to effectively address the learning needs of ELLs.

Legal Cases Affecting Language Instruction Policies:

1. Lau v. Nichols (1974): This landmark Supreme Court case established that providing the same educational opportunities to students who do not speak English as those provided to English-proficient students violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The ruling mandated that schools take affirmative steps to overcome language barriers and provide equal educational opportunities for ELLs.

2. Castaneda v. Pickard (1981): This case set forth a three-part test for evaluating the adequacy of a school district’s program for ELLs: (1) the program must be based on sound educational theory, (2) it must be implemented effectively with adequate resources and personnel, and (3) it must successfully overcome language barriers after a reasonable period.

3. Flores v. Arizona (1992, 2009): The initial case challenged the adequacy of Arizona’s ELL programs, leading to a court-supervised plan for improving services. In 2009, the court found that Arizona had failed to fully fund the program, resulting in a requirement for the state to increase funding and comply with the plan.

4. Plyler v. Doe (1982): This Supreme Court case ruled that states cannot constitutionally deny students a free public education based on their immigration status, ensuring that undocumented immigrant children have access to education.

Federal Laws and Requirements:

1. Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) (2015): This law reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, emphasizing accountability, assessment, and funding for ELL programs. It requires states to develop standardized entrance and exit procedures for ELL identification and reclassification.

2. Title III: Part of ESSA, Title III provides funding and guidelines for supporting ELL education, including professional development for teachers and family engagement.

3. Title VI: This provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal funding, including language instruction programs.

4. Office for Civil Rights/Department of Justice Resolutions: These agencies have issued guidance and resolutions to ensure compliance with federal laws and the provision of equal educational opportunities for ELLs.

State Laws and Policies:

1. Proposition 203 (2000): This Arizona ballot initiative restricted bilingual education and mandated that ELLs be taught primarily in English through Structured English Immersion (SEI) programs, with a goal of achieving English proficiency within one year.

2. House Bill 2010 (2006): This bill established the Arizona English Language Learner Task Force and required the development of SEI models and teacher endorsement programs.

3. House Bill 2064 (2008): This legislation modified the guidelines for ELL instruction, allowing for more flexibility in program models and extending the time frame for achieving English proficiency.

4. SB1014 (2018): This bill modified the Move On When Reading policy, allowing ELLs to be exempted from retention in third grade based on standardized test scores if they demonstrate sufficient progress in English language proficiency.

5. Move On When Reading: This policy, implemented in 2013, mandated that third-grade students who did not score proficient on the statewide reading assessment be retained and receive additional reading instruction.

Current Societal Trends and Issues:

1. Increasing Diversity: The number of ELLs in Arizona and across the United States continues to grow, highlighting the need for effective language acquisition programs and culturally responsive teaching practices.

2. Debate over Instructional Models: There is ongoing debate regarding the effectiveness of various instructional models for ELLs, such as bilingual education, English immersion, and dual-language programs.

Familiarity with these legislative events and issues will enable teachers to navigate the complexities of ELL education and make informed decisions to support the academic success of their students.

References:

Arias, M. B., & Faltis, C. (2021). Implementing Educational Language Policy in Arizona: Legal, Historical and Current Practices in SEI (Structured English Immersion). Multilingual Matters.

García, O., & Curry-Rodríguez, J. E. (2019). The Critically Compassionate Intellectualism Model for Transcaring Leadership for Emergent Bilingual Learners. Educational Researcher, 48(4), 234-244.

Heineke, A. J., & Darich, W. (2018). The Shifting Landscape of English Learner Education in Arizona: A History. Bilingual Research Journal, 41(1), 3-20.

Ovando, C. J., & Combs, M. C. (2018). Bilingual and ESL Classrooms: Teaching in Multicultural Contexts (6th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield.

Zavala, V. (2019). Language Policy, Ideologies, and Attitudes in English-Only and English-Plus Contexts. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 39, 92-107.

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Having a historical perspective of the court cases, laws, and mandates that have shaped English language instruction policy enables teachers to understand the necessity for addressing the learning needs of English language learners (ELLs).

Complete the “Legislative Events and Issues” template (150-200 words per section) to explain each of the following and discuss how knowledge of them will affect your future professional practice.

How the following legal cases have affected the policies and laws governing language instruction in Arizona: Lau v. Nichols, Castaneda v. Pickard, Flores v. Arizona, and Plyler v. Doe.
How the following federal laws and requirements have affected accountability, assessment, funding, and identification in ELL education in Arizona: Every Student Succeeds Acts (ESSA), Title III, Title VI, and Office for Civil Rights/Department of Justice resolutions.
How the following state laws and policies have affected language acquisition methodology, student grouping, and the time frame to achieve language proficiency: Proposition 203, House Bill 2010, House Bill 2064, SB1014, and Move On When Reading.
Two current societal trends and issues in the education of ELLs.
Support your findings with a minimum of three scholarly resources.

While APA style is not required for the body of this assignment, solid academic writing is expected, and documentation of sources should be presented using APA formatting guidelines, which can be found in the APA Style Guide, located in the Student Success Center.

This assignment uses a rubric. Review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

You are required to submit this assignment to LopesWrite. A link to the LopesWrite technical support articles is located in Class Resources if you need assistance.

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