The general assembly recognizes the strength Rhode Island’s growing cultural diversity brings to the overall economic and social health of the state. Therefore, the general assembly establishes the Student Language Assistance Investment Fund to target state resources to assist students who require additional language educational services. The general assembly shall annually appropriate some sum and distribute it based on each district’s proportion of limited English proficiency students statewide in the reference year as defined in § 16-7-16. These resources shall be used to close student performance gaps in accordance with the district’s strategic plan pursuant to § 16-7.1-2.