Nichols was a landmark case for English Language Learners in public schools across the country. The ruling made it clear that schools are obligated to provide supplemental English instruction to ensure the success of their non-English-speaking students. However, such rulings are not always backed up with adequate funding. Schools budgets are already stretched to meet the all the various needs a school district may face, and the funding they receive from federal, state, and local resources may not keep pace with the needs of students. In addition to this, the federal government has taken steps to more clearly define the responsibilities of school districts regarding English Language Learners. Mitchell (2015) reports that, under these new mandates public schools must:
• identify English-learner students in a timely, valid and reliable manner; offer all English-learner students an educationally sound language-assistance program;
• provide qualified staff and sufficient resources for instructing English-learner students; ensure English-learner students have equitable access to school programs and activities;
• avoid unnecessary segregation of English-learner students from other