Agenda - 03-31-1999 - 1a - Laserfiche WebLink

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-7- Parents of children with Limited English Proficiency disliked using other parents or children to interpret during important or confidential meetings about behavior or academics. The concern with having an older child translate is that staff cannot verify what the child is really saying. Parents have difficult understanding the written materials that come home about field trips, school activities, etc. Although some parents were able to take the papers to be translated by a friend or relative, many parents simply did not read the materials. Most parents said that they would participate more in conferences, Open Houses, and school activities, if they knew that an interpreter would be present. Teachers in the school system felt that lack of participation and communication with parents of LEP students could be improved by using interpreters and having more documents and school notices translated. Teachers also wanted more dictionaries, library resources, and textbooks in the children's native languages. A concern expressed by bilingual teachers and teaching assistants was the pressure to do translations and interpretations for administrators and teachers along with their other full -time tasks. Although most of the bilingual teachers are happy to help, they am either neglecting their own jobs and duties or having to double their work. On the issues of confidential and non- confidential translating and interpreting, the sub - committee found that non- confidential forms (new student information, district policy, school calendars, and notices, _forms for special education and other programs) and conversations could be done by volunteer translators. However, when translations and interpretations are of a confidential nature (individual letters to parents, reports of bad behavior, progress reports, and specs! education and other program evaluation reports), professional translators and interpreters are essential. Sub- committee findings also focus on both commercial and non - commercial programs for translation and interpretation, including translation serviose from TransAct Education, Inc.; translators and interpreters from ICN Language Services of Raleigh; and the use of local volunteers and students from universities and colleges in the Triangle area surrounding the school system. Sub - Committee on Community Partnership4h Collaboration and Coordination of Services: This sub - committee developed a survey and distributed it to over 900 Individuals, businesses, organizations, and agencies in Orange County, especially the Chapel Hill and Carrboro communities. The recommendations of the sub - committee from the survey include having a centralized bilingual information and referral service that also provides employment and housing information; providing system -wide orientation events for the LEP community that help parents and their children understand school expectations and services that are available to assist them; providing available and adequate translation services, and expanding the ESL program throughout the community at sites that are convenient for parents and children. See copy of sub- committee's report in Appendix F.