The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is legally mandated to ensure language access for K-12 public and charter school Limited English Proficient (LEP) students and their families. Schools that receive federal funds must also have a Language Access Plan (LAP) in place.
The need for language access support in all areas of education continues to grow, and research that shows participation in language access programs can improve both English language proficiency and positive education outcomes for LEP students.
Teachers, administrators, bilingual staff and families all benefit from understanding how to collaborate with professional interpreters. The National Education Association has created an Equity and Language Access Toolkit Guide for best practices at all points of contact in education.
Bilingual teachers and staff play important roles in establishing relationships and building trust with LEP students and their families, however districts should utilize professional interpreters whenever possible to meet their federal, state, and local requirements. We provide individual school and district support for LEP general communications, distance learning, conferences, special education and due process, physical and occupational therapy, and early childhood programs. Our services offer several language delivery options including in person, face-to-face, video remote and telephone interpreting.
Contact us at 952-224-5600 and visit our website to learn more about how we can help you meet your language access requirements.