PACER’s Critical Role of Interpreters in Special Education Meetings Trainings - Minnesota
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), all parents have a right to parental consent and parent participation (34 CFR §§300.300 & 300.322). In the special education process, nurturing collaborative relationships with parents who are English language learners requires intention and practice. Special education meetings where interpreters are involved provide a critical opportunity for both. In 2023 and 2024, PACER, the Parent and Information Training Center in Minnesota, offered a training for interpreters involved in special education meetings.
System Oversight, Infrastructure and Organization
Funding for the training is provided through an ADR grant from the Minnesota Department of Education. The name of the MDE grant is the "Parent Training & Information on Special Education Dispute Resolution Processes Grant."
Technical Assistance
The Critical Role of Interpreters in Special Education Meetings is a two-hour in-person training, designed to provide information to interpreters in Minnesota about:
- parental participation rights under IDEA
- language access laws
- the role of an interpreter in Special Education meetings
- elements of ethical interpretation in Special Education meetings
- strategies for effective interpreting in Special Education meetings
The training includes scenarios for discussion and brings attention to the following PACER resources:
- The "Raise Your Voice" video series, featuring Spanish-speaking, Somali-speaking, and Hmong-speaking parents encouraging other parents to use their right to an interpreter to help them actively participate on their child’s IEP team (viewable at the page linked below)
- Checklist for School Staff: Working Effectively with an Interpreter in a Special Education Meeting to Support Parent Participation (pacer.org)
Working with Interpreters in Special Education Meetings (pacer.org)
The training is open to any interpreter that is involved in special education. Most attendees are school district employees. PACER sends invitations to all special education directors.
Participant Preparation
When participants register for the training they are asked, “What challenges or difficulties have you experienced interpreting at school meetings for students who receive special education services?” Asking this question before the training allows PACER facilitators to tailor discussions around participant experiences during the training and draw attention to specific resources that can support interpreters through the situations they've shared.
Training & Professional Development
PACER initially offered the "Critical Role of Interpreters in Special Education Meetings Training" in September 2023. Twelve professional interpreters attended. PACER facilitated the training again in September 2024. 13 professional interpreters attended. A total of 25 interpreters have received the training over the 2 years PACER has offered it and PACER will offer it again in September 2025.
Each participant received a certificate of attendance. Some districts pay interpreters for their time attending the training.
Messaging
Most attendees are school district employees. PACER sends invitations to all special education directors in Minnesota.
Process & Practitioner Evaluation
Interpreters who attended the training last year were actively engaged and according to their evaluation responses, strongly supportive of PACER offering this training annually. The 2023 participant evaluation responses indicated 100% support for PACER to offer the training annually.
Ratings & comments from 2023 participant evaluations:
- 100% reported increased knowledge of language access laws
- 100% reported increased understanding of knowledge of how interpreters can appropriately and effectively support parent engagement in special education meetings
- 91% reported increased awareness of common ethical considerations when interpreters are involved in special education meetings
- Comments:
- I was glad to hear the multiple interpreting issues shared by other interpreters not only in my own native language but with other languages and learned ideas from other interpreters... Loved all the resources shared today!!
- I would like to thank you for the checklists for school staff. I appreciate that information to share with them to make sure they know that there are rules that they should follow. They will help me to remind them that I do not invent the rules they need to follow.
- The most valuable information I learned was how to explain my role to all involved in an IEP meeting. Thank you, the resources you provided me with today are excellent.
Ratings & comments from 2024 participant evaluations:
- 100% reported increased knowledge of language access laws
- 85% reported increased understanding of how interpreters can appropriately and effectively support parent engagement in special education meetings
- 92% reported increased awareness of common ethical considerations when interpreters are involved in special education meetings
- Comments:
- I enjoyed the examples that I heard. It was helpful to know what other interpreters do, and words they use to help schools learn how to use an interpreter and help families get the information they need to understand the process of special education.
- I learned a lot from the trainers and my peers.
- The most valuable information I learned from this workshop were all the laws I was unaware of.
Thank you for this opportunity! Please consider offering more frequently.