Many K-12 school districts hire bilingual employees to communicate with non-English speaking students and their families. However, districts may need a language services provider (LSP) ready to help when employees cannot fulfill all needs.
For example, your district may not have employees that speak refugee students’ primary languages or may need additional interpreters and translators during busier times throughout the school year.
Let’s review how a trusted LSP can help your district support all parents and students, no matter which language they speak.
Are school districts required to provide language services?
Yes.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, “Schools must communicate information to limited-English proficient (LEP) parents in a language they can understand about any program, service, or activity called to the attention of parents who are proficient in English.”
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 is a federal law that prohibits any entity that receives federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of race, color, or national origin. This includes discrimination based on a person’s limited-English proficiency or English learner status. Title VI covers all public school districts because they receive some federal financial assistance.
Translation services for written communications
In addition to general information materials, how are your teachers and administrators communicating personal information to parents of students whose primary language isn’t English?
If your school’s special education team doesn’t speak the same language as the families you work with, you need an experienced LSP to help you translate individual education plans (IEPs).
CyraCom’s translation experts keep private information secure. Our qualified linguists translate, edit, and proofread projects within our Translation Portal. We also offer long-term translation savings using Translation Memory. When a client submits a new project, the Translation Memory scans it for any repeat translations. We can transfer the duplicated text to the new project, saving time and money on the project. The more projects we work on together, you’ll see increased savings, consistency, and speed.
Learn more: Written communications for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing
Interpretation services for meetings with families
Many school districts have struggled with filling staff interpreter positions in the last few years. Without interpreters, schools cannot fulfill their legal obligations to LEP students and parents.
Interpreters should be invited to gatherings where non-English speaking families are present, including:
- Parent/teacher conferences
- Disciplinary hearings
- Meetings with social workers and counselors
- IEP reviews
- School board meetings
- Health office emergencies
Many public, private, and charter schools rely on CyraCom’s phone and video interpretation services to communicate with limited-English proficient parents and students. Telephonic interpretation services are available 24/7/365, and all spoken languages are available at the same price. We make it easy and cost-effective to reach a qualified interpreter for hundreds of languages around the clock.
Are you looking for more information about interpreting and translation?
Contact our team at getstarted@cyracom.com for more information about remote interpreting and other language services offered by CyraCom.
