Arizona: English Language Learner (ELL) Resources
Arizona schools were home to more than 91,000 English Language Learners (ELLs), as of the 2012-2013 school year. That indicates a 35% decrease from the 2002-2003 school year, as per the Migration Policy Institute in 2015. Currently, there are five most common spoken languages by ELLs in Arizona – Spanish, Navajo, Somali, Vietnamese, and Arabic.
State of Arizona ELL Resources
State Agency: Arizona Department of Education
ELL Website: Office of English Language Acquisition Services (OELAS)
ELL Guidance & Documents: State ELL Forms
State Regulations: Structured Immersion Task Force Website
ELL Identification
Placement Exam: Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA)
ELP Standards & Assessment
ELP Standards: Arizona English Language Proficiency Standards
ELP Assessment of English Language Development: Arizona English Language Learner Assessment (AZELLA)
ELL Instruction
Structured English Immersion (SEI): Structured English Immersion
Arizona’s State Department of Education provides Local Education Agencies (LEAs) with information on laws and regulations regarding ELLs education.
Statewide Standards-Based Assessment
Assessment: Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS)
Additional Information
AZ State Title III Information: Title III Information and Accountability
National Clearing House for English Language Acquisition (NCELA): Title III Information
Statewide Resources
Lectura Books
Lectura Books is the go-to source for bilingual books and culturally relevant family reading programs.
The Latino Literacy Project
The Latino Family Literacy Project is known for its award-winning parent involvement programs for Spanish speaking parents.
Arizona: Seal of Biliteracy
In 2016, Arizona adopted the Seal of Biliteracy to promote bilingual pride. The Seal of Biliteracy encourages students to be biliterate and aid schools in promoting bilingualism by granting seals and medals. The organization has an award, which recognizes students who have studied and reached proficiency in two or more languages by the time they graduate high school.
Arizona TESOL
AZ-TESOL is the organization that represents teachers of ELLs throughout Arizona. This organization promotes excellence in education for ELLs and a professional environment for TESOL teachers.
Arizona State Education Association
The Arizona Education Association is part of the National Education Association state affiliate program. This national program lobbies legislators for resources needed in schools. Additionally, they campaign for higher professional teacher standards and file legal actions to protect academic freedom and school employee rights.
Arizona Family Resource Center on Disabilities
The Arizona Family Resource Center on Disabilities (PIRC) offers parents of children with disabilities a variety of programs, resources, and information to increase parent involvement and improve the student success rate.
Note: Regulations change from time to time. These resources and guidelines were complied in July 2018. If you see that something needs to be updated, please send an email to _____. For more detailed information regarding ELL guidelines and policies at the state and federal levels, please refer to the following:
Federal Regulations Regarding English Language Learners (ELLs)
Migration Policy Institute: ELL Information Center