(1) The general assembly finds that:
There is a substantial number of students in Colorado who are English languagelearners;
Local education providers must provide evidence-based English language proficiency programs for English language learners to enable them to develop and acquire English language proficiency while achieving and maintaining grade-level performance in academic content areas;
To improve the educational and career opportunities for every student in Colorado,the state must ensure support for local education providers to establish evidence-based English language proficiency programs;
The state and local education providers must enhance all educators' effectiveness insupporting English language development and in enabling English language learners to achieve and maintain grade-level performance in academic content areas;
The state must develop an educator workforce that can support the educational approach and goals of local education providers to help ensure that English language learners are postsecondary and workforce ready at graduation;
The state must appropriate and allocate moneys to local education providers to helpensure that English language learners are postsecondary and workforce ready at graduation;
The department of education and the state board of education must hold local education providers accountable through the "Education Accountability Act of 2009", article 11 of this title, and by English language development measures mandated by this article for meeting the English language development and academic achievement goals for English language learners; and
The department of education and the state board of education must recognize localeducation providers who provide effective English language proficiency programs by awarding grants through a competitive program that is supported with annual appropriations.
Source: L. 2014: Entire article R&RE, (HB 14-1298), ch. 244, p. 926, § 13, effective May 21.