Sec 15-756.04. Arizona structured English immersion fund

A. The Arizona structured English immersion fund is established. The department of education shall administer the fund.

B. The department shall submit an annual request for an appropriation for the purposes of this section.

C. In addition to the ELL support level weight prescribed in section 15-943, the department shall distribute monies from the fund to school districts and charter schools in an amount specified in the budget request prescribed in section 15-756.03, subsection C. Monies from the fund established by this section and monies for the ELL support level weight prescribed in section 15-943 shall not be distributed for more than two fiscal years for the same pupil. This subsection does not prohibit a school district or charter school from receiving monies from the statewide compensatory instruction fund established by section 15-756.11 for more than two fiscal years for the same pupil.

D. The superintendent of public instruction shall attempt to obtain the maximum amount of federal funding that is available for English language learner programs.

E. Each school district and charter school shall establish a local level structured English immersion fund to receive monies distributed from the Arizona structured English immersion fund. Monies in local level structured English immersion funds shall be spent only to provide instruction to English language learners. The auditor general shall modify the budget format, financial record requirements, accounting forms and financial report forms in accordance with this subsection. In consultation with the department of education, the auditor general shall provide support and guidance to assist school districts and charter schools in complying with this subsection. Documents developed pursuant to this subsection shall be reviewed by the state board of education and the joint legislative budget committee.

F. School districts and charter schools shall use monies from the fund to supplement existing programs for English language learners. Monies from the fund shall not be used to supplant available monies used to pay for the normal costs of conducting programs for English proficient students.