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Democrats, GOP Support Nixing English Immersion In Arizona

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Two decades after it was approved by Arizona voters, a law mandating an English-only education for non-native speakers may be repealed in 2020.

The Arizona Capitol Times reports Democratic Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman intends to make a repeal a priority, an idea getting support from some Republicans as well.

Known as Proposition 203, the 2000 ballot measure forced English-language learners to speak only English and spend a year in immersion classes.

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle say recent data indicates the English-only approach is not easing students' struggles.  According to the state Department of Education, the 2017 graduation rate of students with limited English proficiency was around 40%.

Critics say non-native speakers end up lagging in their other classes while struggling with learning English.

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