50-State Comparison: English Learner Policies
Funding per student
May 2020
The following information was gathered primarily from state statute and regulation. However, if statute or regulation stated that the funding was determined by another entity, the funding method set externally is provided as well. If the funding per student is only determined for a single academic year at a time, then the funding per student allocation for the most recent and available academic year is listed and includes the academic year for which it applied. View the full 50-State Comparison on English Learner Policies here.
|
STATE
|
Funding per student
|
Source
|
|---|---|---|
| Federal Law | States receive allotments through Title III funds. The minimum allotment per state is $500,000. | 20 U.S.C.A. § 6821 |
| Alabama | Not found in statute or regulation. | |
| Alaska | Flat Weight: Funding factor 1.20 | Alaska Stat. Ann. § 14.17.420 |
| Arizona | Flat Weight: 0.115 | Ariz. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 15-94 |
| Arkansas | Flat Weight: $352 | Ark. Code Ann. § 6-20-2305 |
| California | Flat weight: 0.20 | Cal.Educ.Code § 42238.02 |
| Colorado | Students are eligible for funding for up to 5 years. Funding is capped at $400 or 20% of state average per pupil revenues. An additional $200 or 10% of state average per pupil revenues is available for students to test below a certain threshold. | Colo. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 22-24-104 |
| Connecticut | An amount equal to $1,916,130 divided by the number of eligible children. | Conn. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 10-17g |
| Delaware | FTE allocation: 1 unit for each 250 full time students enrolled. Funding is provided under unit of academic excellence umbrella and includes programing for more than just EL students. |
Del. Code Ann. tit. 14, § 1716 |
| District of Columbia | Flat Weight: 0.49 | D.C. Code § 38-2905 |
| Florida | Weight is determined by the annual General Appropriations act. Flat Weight (cost factor): 1.181 (2019-20 school year) |
Fla. Stat. Ann. § 1011.62 Additional Source |
| Georgia | Flat Weight: 2.5892 | Ga. Code Ann. § 20-2-161 |
| Hawaii | Based upon recommendations from the committee on weights, the board of education may adopt a weighted student formula for the allocation of moneys to public schools that takes into account the educational needs of each student. Multiple Weights: (1) Fully English Proficient (FEP) Weight: 0.096 (2) Limited English Proficient (LEP) Weight: 0.287 (3) Non-English Proficient (NEP) Weight: 0.573 (2020-21 school year) |
Haw. Rev. Stat. § 302A-1303.6 Additional Source |
| Idaho | Moneys distributed to school districts based upon the population of limited-English proficiency students and distributed to school districts to support programs for students with non-English or limited-English proficiency shall be utilized in support of the district plan. |
Idaho Code Ann. § 33-1617 |
| Illinois | FTE Allocation: (1) One FTE intervention teacher (tutor) position for every 125 English learner students. (2) One FTE pupil support staff position for every 125 English learner students. (3) One FTE extended day teacher position for every 120 English learner students. (4) One FTE summer school teacher position for every 120 English learner students. (5) One FTE core teacher position for every 100 English learner students. |
105 Ill. Comp. Stat. Ann. 5/18-8.15 |
| Indiana | Funding is capped at $300 per student. | Ind. Code Ann. § 20-30-9-13 |
| Iowa | Flat Weight: 0.22 Funding is capped at 5 years. |
Iowa Code Ann. § 280.4 |
| Kansas | Multiple Weights: The greater of: (1) The full-time equivalent enrollment in approved programs of bilingual education: 0.395. (2) The number of students enrolled in approved programs of bilingual education: 0.185 |
Kan. Stat. Ann. § 72-5150 |
| Kentucky | An add on calculation is applied for students with Limited English Proficiency. Flat Weight: 0.096 |
702 Ky. Admin. Regs. 3:270 Additional Source |
| Louisiana | The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, or its successor, shall annually develop and adopt a formula which shall be used to determine the cost of a minimum foundation program of education in all public elementary and secondary schools. Flat Weight: 0.22 (2020-21 school year) |
La. Const. Ann. art. VIII, § 13 Additional Source |
| Maine | Multiple Weights: (1) For a school administrative unit with 15 or fewer English learners: 0.70 (2) For a school administrative unit with more than 15 and fewer than 251 English learners: 0.50 (3) For a school administrative unit with 251 or more English learners: 0.525 |
Me. Rev. Stat. tit. 20-A, § 15675 |
| Maryland | Flat Weight: 0.50 | Md. Code Ann., Educ. § 5-208 |
| Massachusetts | Multiple Weights: (1) Grades Pre-Kindergarten to 5: $2537.49 (2) Grades 6 to 8: $2,721.46 (3) Grades 9 to 12: $3,265.74 |
Mass. Gen. Laws Ann. ch. 70, § 3 |
| Michigan | Multiple Weights: (1) Full time student with test scores between 1.0 and 1.9, or equivalent: $900 (2) Full time student with test scores between 2.0 and 2.9, or equivalent: $620 (3) Full time student with test scores between 3.0 and 3.9, or equivalent: $100 |
Mich. Comp. Laws Ann. § 388.1641 |
| Minnesota | Flat Weight: $704 Note: per student allocation is multiplied by the adjusted daily membership or 20, whichever is greatest. |
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 124D.65 |
| Mississippi | Not found in statute or regulation. | |
| Missouri | Funding is allocated through the state budget for districts that meet the Limited English Proficiency threshold. For the 2019-20 school year the threshold was 2.5%. Funding is determined by the legislature. | Mo. Ann. Stat. § 163.011 Additional Source |
| Montana | Not found in statute or regulation. | |
| Nebraska | Flat Weight: 0.25 Note: The weight is multiplied by the number of EL students in a school district. If the number of students is greater than 1 but less than or equal to 12, the weight is multiplied by 12. |
Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-1007.08 |
| Nevada | The funding per student is set by the legislature. Flat weight: $6,288 Note: this is the estimated weight for pupils classified as "profoundly gifted" for the 2020-21 school year. Profoundly gifted students includes but is not limited to EL students. |
Nev. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 387.1214 Additional Source |
| New Hampshire | Flat Weight: $697.77 Note: This was the amount allocated in 2015. Beginning in 2017, statute required that the department of education adjust the cost to be adequate. |
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 198:40-a N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 198:40-d |
| New Jersey | Flat Weight: 0.50 Note: Statute states that the weight should be established in the Education Adequacy Report. This is the weight suggested through fiscal year 2020. |
N.J. Stat. Ann. § 18A:7F-51 Additional Source |
| New Mexico | Flat Weight: 0.35 | N.M. Stat. Ann. § 22-8-22 |
| New York | Flat Weight: 0.50 | N.Y. Educ. Law § 3602 Additional Source |
| North Carolina | FTE Allocation: A minimum of 1 teacher assistant position with additional funds allocated based on EL concentration. Note: LEAs/Charter schools must have at least 20 EL students or 2.5% of ADM must be EL to be eligible. |
N.C. Gen. Stat. Ann. § 115C-238.70 Additional Source |
| North Dakota | Multiple Weights: (1) Students who place in category 1 and who are enrolled in an EL program: 0.40 (2) Students who place in category 2 and who are enrolled in an EL program: 0.28 (3) Students who place in categories 3-6, are enrolled in an EL program, and have not been counted in this category for more than 3 years: 0.07 |
N.D. Cent. Code Ann. § 15.1-27-03.1 |
| Ohio | Multiple Weights: (1) For students enrolled in schools in the United States for 180 school days or less and not previously exempted from taking the spring administration of either of the state's English language arts assessments: $1,515 (2) For students enrolled in schools in the United States for more than 180 school days or previously exempted from taking the spring administration of either of the state's English language arts assessments: $1,136 (C) Other EL students: $758 |
Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 3317.016 |
| Oklahoma | Flat Weight: 0.25 | Okla. Stat. Ann. tit. 70, § 18-201.1 |
| Oregon | Flat Weight: 0.50 | Or. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 327.013 |
| Pennsylvania | Flat Weight: 0.60 | 24 Pa. Cons. Stat. Ann. § 25-2502.53 |
| Rhode Island | Flat Weight: 0.10 | R.I. Gen. Laws Ann. § 16-7.2-6 |
| South Carolina | Not found in statute or regulation. | |
| South Dakota | Flat Weight: 0.25 | S.D. Codified Laws § 13-13-10.1 |
| Tennessee | FTE: (1) 1 teacher per 20 EL students (2) 1 translator per 200 EL students |
Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-3-307 |
| Texas | Multiple Weights: (1) Students classified as EL: 0.10 (2) Students classified as EL who are in a bilingual education program using a dual language immersion/one-way or two-way program: 0.15 (3) Any student in a bilingual education program using a dual language immersion/two-way program model: 0.05 |
Tex. Educ. Code Ann. § 48.105 |
| Utah | The superintendent is responsible for dividing the grant among eligible LEAs. | Utah Admin. Code r. R277-708-3 |
| Vermont | Flat Weight: 0.20 | Vt. Stat. Ann. tit. 16, § 4010 |
| Virginia | FTE Allocation: 17 instructional positions per 1000 EL students | Va. Code Ann. § 22.1-253.13:2 |
| Washington | Instruction Time Allocation: (1) Grades K to 6: 4.778 hours (2) Grades 7-12: 6.778 |
Wash. Rev. Code Ann. § 28A.150.260 |
| West Virginia | Fund are appropriated by the Legislature to the Department of Education for distribution. | W. Va. Code Ann. § 18-9A-22 |
| Wisconsin | It is the policy of this state to reimburse school districts, in substantial part, for the added costs of providing the programs to EL students. | Wis. Stat. Ann. § 115.95 |
| Wyoming | Funding allocated by the Wyoming legislature is divided by ADM. | Wyo. Stat. Ann. § 21-13-309 |