[SE-Dir] OSL&P: Interpreters in Meetings

[ALLRAN Laura]

TO:       All District and ESD Special Education Directors

The message below is being forwarded to you on behalf of:

Nancy Latini, PhD
Assistant Superintendent
Student Learning & Partnerships
______________________________________________
June 15, 2009

RE:  Provision of Interpreters for Parents to Participate Fully in Educational Meetings

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.
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.
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.
IDEA 34 CFR Sec. 300.322(e)</explore/view/p/%2Croot%2Cregs%2C300%2CD%2C300%252E322%2Ce%2C>
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.
Oregon Administrative Rules 581-015-2190 (3) and (4)
Parent Participation - General
(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.
(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.

If you have any difficulty viewing this, please contact Laura Allran at laura.allran at state.or.us<mailto:heidi.schulze at state.or.us> or 503-947-5674.

Messages to and from this e-mail address may be made available to the public under Oregon law.
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