Language Assistance ServicesOCR Resolution AgreementOCR Docket Number 07105002Tulsa Public Schools SCHOOL YEAR 2014-2015

What languages are spoken in Tulsa PS?OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Top 10 Languages

Series10

2000

4000

6000

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120001

12

52

23

4

59

59

58

65

30

27

33

28

Spanish Hmong Vietnamese Arabic French ChuukeseTagalog Urdu Chinese Russian

Languages Spoken in Tulsa PS

• 75 different languages are represented in Tulsa PS

• 30% of students speak a language other than English in the home

• 92% of students with another language speak Spanish in the home

Why are language assistance services required?OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964

• Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and national origin.

• Under Title VI, “No person in the United States shall, on the ground of race, color , or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination under any program to which this part applies.”

• National origin is interpreted by OCR to apply to anyone of Limited English Proficiency.

May 1970 Memorandum

• Issued May 25, 1970 by J. Stanley Pottinger, Director, Office of Civil Rights

• “School districts have the responsibility to adequately notify national origin-minority group parents of school activities which are called to the attention of other parents. Such notice in order to be adequate may have to be provided in a language other than English.”

Tulsa PS Board of Education Policy

• BOE Policy 9501: Interpretation and Translation Services for District Parents and Guardians

• BOE Regulation 9501-R:▫Identification & Reporting▫Translation Services▫Interpretation Services▫Essential Meetings & Functions▫Review & Evaluation

How do I request an interpreter or translated materials?OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Interpretation & Translation Services• Interpretation services refer to oral

interpretation of a spoken language into another spoken language.

• Translation services refer to written translation of a document from one language to another language.

• Language Line• TransAct Parent Notifications• EduPortal • Site interpreters & translators• District language interpreters

Language Line Services

• Phone interpretation services available in 200+ languages

• Calls can be made from any phone

• Must have client ID # and TPS employee ID # number to access

• Quick reference guide available on the ELD website

TransAct Parent Notifications

• School documents already translated into 20+ languages

• Login at www.transact.com• Must have

tulsaschools.org email address to register for access

• Quick Start Guide available on the ELD website

EduPortal

• Translated Tulsa PS-specific documents

• Login at www.eduportal.com or www.transact.com

• Must have tulsaschools.org email address to register for access

Site Interpreters & Translators

• Depending on the size of the language subgroup at your site, site staff has been identified as site interpreters and/or translators.

• Interpreters & translators have been assessed for language competency and trained on interpreter role, skills, ethics, confidentiality, and legal factors.

• Site staff who have not been assessed and trained may not provide language assistance services.

• A list of identified site interpreters & translators is maintained by the Title III Office, Human Capital, and the site office.

District Language Interpreters

• To schedule the following, please email Palmira Saldivar or Zaida Kepford, District Language Interpreters:

▫Request for on-site interpreter (5 day notice)▫Request for interpretation equipment▫Request for interpreter/translator language

competency testing▫Request for document translation (10 day notice)▫Request for on-site training for staff on using

language assistance services

Who needs language assistance services?OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Who Needs Language Assistance Services?

• Other alert in PowerSchool indicates that parent has requested interpretation or translation.

• Hover over symbol in PowerSchool and alert box will state interpretation or translation and language requested.

• Requested through Home Language Survey. It can also be added as needed through regular communication.

Logging of Language Assistance Services• Logging of language assistance is a required

activity under the OCR Resolution Agreement for ▫ Scheduled or pre-arranged interactions between parents

and staff or administrators,▫ Section 504 meetings,▫ IEP meetings,▫ Discipline hearings, and ▫ Parent-teacher conferences.

• Language assistance information must be logged by staff member requesting services which may not necessarily be the service provider.

• Step by step logging procedures are available on the ELD website under Language Assistance Services.

Logging in PowerTeacher

• Open the student’s PowerTeacher record.

• From the Select Screen dropdown menu, select Language Assistance.

Logging in PowerSchool

• Open the student’s PowerSchool record.

• From the menu on the left, select Log Language Assistance.

Logging in PowerTeacher & PowerSchool

• Select NEW to record a new event of language assistance services provided.

Logging in PowerTeacher & PowerSchool• Enter the following

information:▫ Sub Type: Select reason

for service (interpretation/oral or translation/written)

▫ Description: IN ALL CAPS, enter the name of service provider AND the purpose of communication (i.e., IEP meeting, discipline hearing, parent letter, etc.)

• Select submit to save record of the language assistance service.

a.

b.

How do we notify parents of available services?OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Language Assistance Signs

• Three signs are posted on a parent bulletin board in all schools:▫ Please Point to Your

Language▫ Interpreters Available▫ Notification of

Language Assistance Services

Language Assistance Webpage

• Language Assistance Services under Parents menu at www.tulsaschools.org lists:▫ Notification of

Language Assistance Services

▫ Language Assistance Plan

▫ Parent/Guardian Language Assistance Request Form

▫ Language Assistance Services Complaint Form

▫ Language Assistance Survey for Parents/Guardians

Language Assistance Webpage

•On the footer of each school webpage, the Language Assistance link redirects parents to the Language Assistance Service information on the District’s Parent menu.

•Google Translate is posted in the upper left hand corner of all school webpages.

How are interpreters & translators approved?OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Language Competency Testing & Training for Interpreters & Translators

•Administered by District Language Interpreters with advanced language proficiency certifications.

•Testing required only one time during continuous employment.

•Training required on an annual basis prior to October 1 of the current school year.

Language Competency Testing & Training for Interpreters & Translators

• Language competency certifications from outside TPS may be submitted in lieu of testing.

• If the language competency test is not passed, the employee may re-take the test once every 6 months if they choose.

• Any staff or volunteers providing interpretation or translation services are required to demonstrate passing language competency scores and participate in training in order to provide language assistance services.

Language Competency Testing: Interpretation• Oral language competency is assessed in both English

and the target language through school-based scenarios including enrollment, discipline, and health issues

• Scored on a rubric of oral language competency with a scale of 1 to 4:▫ 1 is not passing▫ 2 is passing▫ 3 is good▫ 4 is advanced

• Interpreters at a level 3 & 4 may provide services for Special Education, IEP, and Section 504 meetings.

• The Interpreter Skills Competency Report can be viewed on the ELD webpage.

Language Competency Testing: Translation• Two-part assessment based on a current TPS school

document: ▫ Brief document translation ▫ Editing of sample translated paragraph

• Bilingual word-to-word dictionary provided• Scored on a rubric of written language competency

with a scale of 1 to 4:▫ 1 is not passing▫ 2 is passing▫ 3 is good▫ 4 is advanced

• The Translator Skills Competency Report can be viewed on the ELD webpage.

Who can interpret or translate?OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

TPS-approved Interpreters & Translators

•Only TPS-approved interpreters and translators may provide language assistance services. This may be staff or volunteers.

•Staff or volunteers who have not completed language testing and training may NOT interpret or translate.

•A minor child may NEVER interpret or translate.

•Adults, family members, or friends brought in by LEP parents or guardians may NOT interpret or translate.

Do’s & Don’ts of language assistance servicesOFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Do’s of Language Assistance ServicesDo…• Use an approved TPS staff member to interpret.• Call Language Line for phone interpretation.• Use TransAct & EduPortal to find translated

documents.• Review students’ PowerSchool/ PowerTeacher records for Language Assistance Alert.• Offer language assistance to parents.• Log Language Assistance Services in PowerSchool/ PowerTeacher.

Don’ts of Language Assistance ServicesDon’t…• Use a minor child to interpret.• Be afraid to stop the parent from using their child,

family member or a friend to interpret.• Use the interpreter brought by the parent.• Negotiate understanding or meaning.• Assume that the parent is literate in any language.

Who Should I Contact for More Information?OFFICE OF CIVIL RIGHTS – LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE SERVICES

Contact InformationLaura GrissoTitle III Administrator918-746-6487grissla@tulsaschools.org

Palmira SaldivarDistrict Language Interpreter918-746-6701saldipa@tulsaschools.org

Zaida KepfordDistrict Language Interpreter918-746-6112kepfoza@tulsaschools.org

Additional resources & training information can be

found under Language Assistance Services on the

English Language Development (ELD) webpage

at http://academics.tulsaschools.org