BILL REQ. #:  H-1151.1 

Read first time 02/06/13.   Referred to Committee on Education.

     AN ACT Relating to training for volunteer foreign language interpreters in K-12 public schools; and creating new sections.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   The legislature finds that:
     (1) The number of foreign language speakers has substantially increased in Washington's public schools over the last decade. The office of the superintendent of public instruction reports that more than eight percent of the state's total student population was enrolled in the transitional bilingual instruction program as of May 2012, and more than two hundred different languages are spoken in students' homes.
     (2) The office of the education ombudsman reports an increased number of complaints from English language learner students and limited English proficient parents regarding schools' lack of provision of accurate education interpretation and the use of students as interpreters for their own families.
     (3) There are no training programs in the state specifically for foreign language education interpreters. The lack of qualified individuals causes public schools to use untrained bilingual adults or students themselves as interpreters for parents in high-stakes situations where decisions about a student's academic future are being made.
     (4) Communicating effectively with limited English proficient students and families presents a challenge for Washington public schools, and the inability to meet this challenge leads to inequities and increased gaps in student achievement, along with increased student drop-outs.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   (1) By February 1, 2014, the office of the education ombudsman must submit to the education committees of the legislature a feasibility study for development of a state foreign language education interpreter training program designed to create a pool of trained volunteer interpreters for public schools.
     (2) The study must include:
     (a) An overview of current need for and availability of foreign language education interpreters in public schools, as well as current practices for providing these interpreters;
     (b) An inventory of volunteer interpreter training programs in Washington and examples from other states;
     (c) An examination of state and federal laws that apply to the provision of interpretation in public schools; and
     (d) An inventory of community resources for volunteer interpreter training.
     (3) As used in this section:
     (a) "Interpreter" means a bilingual or multilingual individual who provides oral translation for others.
     (b) "Foreign language education interpreter" means an individual who provides oral translation for limited English proficient students and parents in public schools.