Updates the state cost of the English as a Second Language program based on data for verified English learners submitted by school divisions in fall 2020.
A separate amendment adds data for presumptive English learners, which 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. The addition of presumptive English learners increases the state cost by $4.3 million in fiscal year 2021 and increases the state cost by $6.5 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.