FINAL BILL REPORT

2SHB 1709

PARTIAL VETO

C 150 L 14

Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description: Concerning foreign language interpretation services for public schools.

Sponsors: House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Education (originally sponsored by Representatives Dahlquist, Santos, Magendanz, Moscoso, Fagan, Ryu, Maxwell, Pollet and Bergquist).

House Committee on Education

House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Education

Senate Committee on Early Learning & K-12 Education

Background:

According to the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI), 94,176 students in May of 2013 were enrolled in the Transitional Bilingual Instruction Program (TBIP), representing 9 percent of total student enrollment. Data from the TBIP indicate students spoke more than 200 different languages.

The OSPI website contains a variety of information regarding communication with Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents and families that could be used by school districts or parents directly. There are samples of translated notices from districts to parents and translated resources for parents on topics such as special education, health and safety, student and parent rights, and graduation requirements. The OSPI has also issued guidance to school districts regarding their responsibilities under Title VI of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964 to provide LEP parents and families access to vital school information in a language they can understand.

The state Department of Enterprise Services has a contract with three telephone-based interpreter services that provide 24-hour, seven-day-a-week interpretation in more than 200 languages. School districts may participate in the state contract.

The Office of the Education Ombuds (OEO) was established in 2006 to serve as an independent resource for parents and families regarding their involvement with public schools. The Washington State School Directors' Association (WSSDA) is a membership organization of all school boards from across the state. One of the services provided by the WSSDA is development of model policies and procedures on various topics that school districts can choose to adopt or adapt as their own.

Summary:

The OEO must conduct a feasibility study for development of a state foreign language education interpreter training program designed to create a pool of trained interpreters for public schools, including volunteer interpreters. The study must include:

• an overview of current need and availability of interpreters;

• current practices for schools to provide interpreters;

• an inventory of interpreter training programs in Washington and examples from other states;

• an examination of applicable federal and state laws that apply to provision of interpretation in public schools, including family and student privacy laws and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964; and

• an inventory of community resources for interpreter training, including for volunteer interpreters.

The study is due to the legislative education committees by February 1, 2015.

The WSSDA, in consultation with the OEO and other interested parties, must develop a model family language access policy and procedure for school districts by June 1, 2015, if funds are appropriated for this purpose. The OSPI and the OEO must post information on the agency website regarding phone interpretation vendors under contract with the state, and school districts are encouraged to use these interpretation services to communicate with LEP families.

Votes on Final Passage:

Partial Veto Summary: The legislative intent section is vetoed.