Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires all students with a primary language other than English to take an English language proficiency assessment exam, and declares that a student must be enrolled in an English immersion or bilingual program if the student is determined to not be proficient in English. The bill establishes the English Language Learners Task Force to develop and adopt Structured English Immersion models and also establishes the Arizona Structured English Immersion Fund. The bill requires current English Language Learner students and students who have been in the program within the last two years to be reassessed at the end of every school year. It Establishes the Arizona Department of Education Division of English Language Acquisition Services and the Statewide Compensatory Instruction Fund, and establishes a new individual and corporate income tax credit starting January 1, 2007 for cash contributions made to student tuition organizations that assist the English Language Learners of up to $500 for a single person, $1000 for married couples and $50 million for corporations. The bill appropriates $160 million to support implementation of this bill.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that requires all students with a primary language other than English to take a English language proficiency assessment exam, and declares that if the student is determined not to be proficient in English, then he or she must be classified as an English Language Learner student and be enrolled in an English language education program. The bill also creates an income tax credit for cash contributions given to student tuition organizations for tuition grants or scholarships to English Language Learners of up to $500 for a single person, $1,000 for married couples and $50 million for corporations. The bill appropriates $31.4 million for activities related to the English Language Learner program.

Full Bill Text