| Passed by the House March 10, 2014 Yeas 81 FRANK CHOPP ________________________________________ Speaker of the House of Representatives Passed by the Senate March 7, 2014 Yeas 43 BRAD OWEN ________________________________________ President of the Senate | I, Barbara Baker, Chief Clerk of the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, do hereby certify that the attached is SECOND SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1709 as passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on the dates hereon set forth. BARBARA BAKER ________________________________________ Chief Clerk | |
| Approved March 31, 2014, 2:40 p.m., with
the exception of Section 1 which is
vetoed. JAY INSLEE ________________________________________ Governor of the State of Washington | March 31, 2014 Secretary of State State of Washington |
| State of Washington | 63rd Legislature | 2014 Regular Session |
READ FIRST TIME 02/11/14.
AN ACT Relating to training for volunteer foreign language interpreters in K-12 public schools; adding a new section to chapter 28A.320 RCW; adding a new section to chapter 28A.300 RCW; creating new sections; and providing an expiration date.
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 nine
percent of the state's total student population was enrolled in the
transitional bilingual instruction program as of May 2013, and more
than two hundred different languages are spoken in students' homes.
(2) The office of the education ombuds 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
dropouts.
*Sec. 1 was vetoed. See message at end of chapter.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 (1) By February 1, 2015, the office of the
education ombuds 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 interpreters for public schools, including volunteer
interpreters.
(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 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, including how laws
pertaining to family and student privacy apply to interpreters, and
including Title VI of the civil rights act of 1964 as it applies to
national origin discrimination affecting limited English proficient
parents and guardians; and
(d) An inventory of community resources for interpreter training,
including for volunteer interpreters.
(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.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new
section is added to chapter 28A.320
RCW to read as follows:
(1) Subject to funds appropriated for this specific purpose, by
June 1, 2015, the Washington state school directors' association, with
the office of the education ombuds and other interested parties, shall
develop a model family language access policy and procedure for school
districts.
(2) This section expires August 1, 2017.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 28A.300
RCW to read as follows:
(1) The office of the superintendent of public instruction and the
office of the education ombuds shall post information on the agency's
web site regarding the phone interpretation vendors on contract with
the state of Washington, including contact information.
(2) School districts are encouraged to use the phone interpretation
services addressed in subsection (1) of this section to communicate
with student's parents, legal guardians, and family members who have
limited English proficiency.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 If specific funding for the purposes of this
act, referencing this act by bill or chapter number, is not provided by
June 30, 2014, in the omnibus appropriations act, this act is null and
void.