Fact check
“The Arizona Department of Education had previously been found in violation of civil rights laws for its AZELLA test.”
Reasoning
The ProPublica article explicitly mentions that the Arizona Department of Education was found to be in violation of civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination based on race and national origin, and that the state voluntarily entered a settlement addressing these violations. This directly supports the claim.
On confidence: Multiple excerpts from a reputable investigative source directly state that the Arizona Department of Education was found to be in violation of civil rights laws regarding the AZELLA test and entered a settlement.
Important context
The violation pertains to civil rights laws related to language discrimination for students receiving federal funds, and the settlement required the agency to take actions to overcome language barriers.
Evidence
Supporting (2)
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceArizona Made It Easier for Students to Pass AZELLA English Test — ProPublica
proficiency in reading and writing the language. The Arizona Department of Education was found to be in violation of civil rights laws that ban discrimination on the basis of race and national origin by schools that receive federal funds.…
- Tier 1 — Primary sourceArizona Made It Easier for Students to Pass AZELLA English Test — ProPublica
departments of Justice and Education. Federal officials contended placing such students in classrooms where they struggled because they lacked knowledge of English violated their civil and educational rights, and Arizona agreed to a…
Limitations
The evidence is limited to the ProPublica reporting; no additional independent sources were provided to corroborate the finding.
- Last verified:
- Sep 27, 2026, 4:30 AM CDT
- Pipeline:
- 2.1.0
- Claim type:
- Factual
Where this claim appeared
Arizona Lowered the Bar for Its English Fluency Test. Experts Say It Will Harm Students in the Long Run.ProPublica · Rafael Carranza