Thread: Napolitano proposes English-learning plan

She who speaks with forked tounge is back in the news.

Napolitano proposes English-learning plan
PAUL DAVENPORT
The Associated Press

PHOENIX - Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano on Friday presented lawmakers with proposed legislation to replace vetoed Republican-backed bills to retool the state's programs for instruction of students learning English and create a new tax break sought by school-choice advocates.

Napolitano's English-learning proposal would triple current spending within three years. Other provisions - some drawn from rival legislative plans - include new accountability provisions as well as long-term spending aimed at improved teacher training, testing and tutoring and other steps to bolster the quality of English-immersion instruction, Napolitano aides said.

Napolitano also presented lawmakers with a proposed bill to create a new dollar-for-dollar corporate income tax credit for businesses' donations for private school scholarships.

Both proposed bills could be considered during a possible special session of the Republican-led Legislature.

"I am prepared to get to work and come to an agreement on these bills so we can finish the business the people of Arizona hired us to do," Napolitano said in a letter to Senate President Ken Bennett and House Speaker Jim Weiers.

In a move that provoked charges and countercharges of broken promises, the Democratic governor on May 20 infuriated Republicans by vetoing both the Republican English-learning plan and a tax credit bill. Both issues were discussed during budget negotiations between Napolitano and Republican legislative leaders, though they disagree on who promised what.

Napolitano said Friday she is willing to sign a tax credit bill if the credit automatically expires after five years unless extended by the Legislature. The version she vetoed included a review after five years but not a repeal.

The state is under a federal court order to improve its programs for instruction of students whose primary language is not English. A judge ordered the state to act by the end of the 2005 regular session, which adjourned May 13.

In submitting her English-learning proposal to Republican legislative leaders, Napolitano essentially was offering a counterproposal to the bill she vetoed. She said at the time that she vetoed the Republicans' bill because it was inadequate and because they'd failed to reach a bipartisan compromise with the Legislature's minority Democrats.

"She picked up the ball, prepared a proposal and it's now on table," said Becky Hill, Napolitano's K-12 education adviser.

The Republicans' plan would have instituted a new cost-based grant program to provide supplementary funding to school districts and charter schools for English-learning instruction. On the other hand, Napolitano would retain the current approach of providing money based on a per-student formula though she would make that funding a separate category so spending could be tracked.

Napolitano's plan shares many common elements with minority Democrats' proposals, particularly in funding, while other parts overlap in part with the vetoed Republican plan. The latter include accountability provisions, including Department of Education monitoring of schools' spending and requiring schools to use the program dollars for English-learning instruction.

The state this year is spending approximately $60 million on English-learning instruction, according to the Legislature's budget office. There are currently 161,300 English-learning students in the state's K-12 public school system, according to the Legislature's budget office.

Napolitano's plan would temporarily increase that amount by $13.5 million in the fiscal year that begins July 1 and then launch a three-year phase-in to a new formula. By the 2008-2009 fiscal year, the cost would reach $180 million as the per-student funding reaches $1,289, up from $355 currently, aides said.

However, actual total costs could be higher or lower depending on the number of new English-learning students entering the school system and the system's ability to successfully teach English to current students so they can exit the program, Napolitano aides said.

Weiers, R-Phoenix, said he hadn't reviewed Napolitano's plan in detail but expressed shock at its pricetag.

"It is an incredible amount of money that the governor is proposing," he said. "Under the governor's proposal, this becomes Mexico's best school district north of the border."

Weiers also said Napoliano needs to sign into law the tax credit bill. "Fix what was broken - her word," he said.

Tim Hogan, a lawyer for class-action plaintiffs whose lawsuit resulted in the federal court orders, said he supports the governor's plan and that it would resolve the court case.

Hogan said he would delay, at least for a while, seeking sanctions against the state for missing the end-of-session deadline to see what lawmakers do. "That will dictate what we have to do," he said.
http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/breaking/0 ... no_ell.php

Governor Mexicano should be the first on to sign up. She certainly is not "reading" what the majority of her constituents are saying.

Governor Napolitano is a political freak!

Her time in the political world will be quite limited.

Her actions and inactions have already shown her "colors".

She needs to relocate to Mexico and become a copy in Neuevo Laredo.

I understand the Mexican Government is offering "free" Spiritual Training and then if you pass, you get to receive some Character Training.

Your "Governor Mexicano" could benefit from both and serve the Mexican people well.....down there.

I'll agree for tax payers to underwriite her Relocation Expenses comparable to an average corporate employee relocation budget!!

How about you??