Appeals Court hears English-learner fight

“Attorneys for the state implored a federal Appeals Court in San Francisco on Tuesday to resolve the debate over funding for children struggling to learn English, saying the Legislature has done plenty already to help those students.

The lawyers, representing lawmakers and the state schools chief, urged the panel to uphold a law passed this year but rejected by a federal judge in Tucson. It would increase funding for thousands of English-learners from $358 per pupil to $432 per pupil.

They also asked the court to overturn the judge’s order fining Arizona $21 million for missing a deadline to come up with a plan to help the English-learner students. Federal Judge Raner Collins of Tucson had determined that the Legislature’s plan did not do enough to help the children. “

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