Arizona Congresswoman Introduces Bills to Expand English Learner Programs
Rep. Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, introduced three bills on Sept. 16 to fund literacy classes, dual-language programs, and teacher training for English learners. The proposals follow reporting by Arizona Luminaria and ProPublica that Arizona lowered the passing score on its English proficiency test, which experts said could remove thousands of students from language services. One bill would create competitive grants for colleges partnering with high-need districts, prioritizing teacher candidates who were English learners or from underrepresented groups.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva, an Arizona Democrat, filed three bills Sept. 16. One, the Reaching English Learners Act, would give colleges grants of up to five years if they partner with high-need districts or early childhood programs. It favors recruiting future teachers who were English learners or from underrepresented groups. Colleges would pay at least half the training cost; no total cost is specified.
The bills followed reporting by Arizona Luminaria and ProPublica that Arizona lowered its English proficiency passing score. State Superintendent Tom Horne, a Republican, approved the change. In 2026, the reclassification rate rose to 26% from 12%. About 30,000 of nearly 113,000 test-takers were removed from language services. Proposition 203, passed in 2000, created Arizona’s English-only policy.
The measures could affect Arizona students still learning English, their families, teachers, and districts by potentially expanding bilingual and literacy programs and teacher pipelines. If federal grants advance, colleges and high-need schools may gain new training capacity. The debate may also sharpen over whether lowering test cutoffs or adding services better supports students. Because the bills lack specified funding, their practical reach may remain uncertain.