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<div>TO: All District and ESD Special Education Directors</div>
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<div>The message below is being forwarded to you on behalf of:</div>
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<div>Nancy Latini, PhD</div>
<div>Assistant Superintendent</div>
<div>Student Learning & Partnerships</div>
<div>______________________________________________ </div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3">June 15, 2009 </font></div>
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<div><font size="3">RE: Provision of Interpreters for Parents to Participate Fully in Educational Meetings</font></div>
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<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3">At a meeting of the State Advisory Council on Special Education (SACSE), and through other advocacy organizations, our office has been informed that some districts are engaging interpreters for
IEP meetings who may not themselves completely understand the proceedings of the meeting for which they are interpreting. The concern primarily involves parents whose native language is other than English. Specifically, if the interpreter cannot properly communicate
the proceedings of the meeting to the parent, it is difficult for the parent to fully understand the proceedings of the IEP or related meeting. </font></div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3">While we currently have no direct evidence of this occurring through our dispute resolution system, I am writing to simply call attention to federal and state regulations pertaining to district
responsibilities relative to interpreters and IEP meetings. School districts must ensure that parents are actively and meaningfully involved in the IEP and educational processes of their children. For parents who are deaf or whose native language may be other
than English, the district provision of able interpreters is a critical component of that goal.</font></div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3">Thank you in advance for reviewing the federal and state requirements below and evaluating how your district is doing in complying with these requirements. If you have any questions, please feel
free to contact Rae Ann Ray at (503)-947-5722<font color="#0000FF">.</font></font></div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3"><b>IDEA 34 CFR </b><a href="/explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cregs%2C300%2CD%2C300%252E322%2Ce%2C"><b>Sec. 300.322(e)</b></a><b> </b></font></div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3">Use of interpreters or other action, as appropriate: The public agency must take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the parent understands the proceedings of the IEP Team meeting, including
arranging for an interpreter for parents with deafness or whose native language is other than English. </font></div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3"><b>Oregon Administrative Rules 581-015-2190 (3) and (4)</b></font></div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3"><b>Parent Participation - General </b></font></div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3">(3) The school district must take whatever action is necessary to ensure that the parent understands the proceedings at a meeting, including arranging for an interpreter for parents who are deaf
or whose native language is other than English.</font></div>
<div style="margin-top: 5pt; margin-bottom: 5pt; "><font size="3">(4) A meeting does not include informal or unscheduled conversations involving school district personnel and conversations on issues such as teaching methodology, lesson plans, or coordination
of service provision if those issues are not addressed in the child's IEP. A meeting also does not include preparatory activities that public agency personnel engage in to develop a proposal or response to a parent proposal that will be discussed at a later
meeting.</font></div>
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<div><font size="3">If you have any difficulty viewing this, please contact Laura Allran at <a href="mailto:heidi.schulze@state.or.us"><font color="#0000FF"><u>laura.allran@state.or.us</u></font></a> or 503-947-5674.</font></div>
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<div><font size="3">Messages to and from this e-mail address may be made available to the public under Oregon law.</font></div>
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