Adds the presumptive English learner designation in the update for the English as a Second Language program. Presumptive English learners are those students who are identified through a preliminary screening process but who have not been screened formally. Formal screening involves the in-person administration of a screening instrument, and a number of school divisions have had difficulty administering the in-person screening because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A separate amendment updates the state cost of the English as a Second Language program with data for verified English learners, which results in a decreased state cost of $11.8 million in fiscal year 2021 and a decreased state cost of $19.0 million in fiscal year 2022. The net impact of these actions is a decrease of $7.6 million in fiscal year 2021 and a decrease of $12.6 million in fiscal year 2022.