Arizona made its English fluency test easier to pass. Experts say it will harm students’ ability to succeed.

In the Tucson Unified School District, the percentage of test-taking students who scored high enough to be classified as proficient in English more than doubled — from 10% in 2025 to 24% in 2026. Rather than a big leap in fluency, however, the test results reflect the Arizona Department of Education lowering the grade needed to pass. The post Arizo

By: Rafael Carranza

Outlets: Arizona Luminaria

Published: September 16, 2026

Words: 2,373

Last Updated: 4 weeks, 1 day ago

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This article was produced for ProPublica’s Local Reporting Network in partnership with Arizona Luminaria. Sign up for Dispatches to get our stories in your inbox every week.

Samantha Ramos stood at the front of her second grade classroom, a small mic clipped to her lanyard amplifying her instructions as she began a phonics lesson.

“Can we get our arms ready?” asked Ramos, who’s …

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