What are the legal standards for schools regarding multilingual family communication?
The two most important documents you should consider the final word on this question are:
Anne created a checklist you can use to determine what specific pieces of the requirements you have in place, and which you do not. It is far more detailed than the checklist provided in Chapter 10 (which, in our opinion, is less a checklist and more a list of discussion questions without guidance as to the right answer), and is based in the detailed text of the Dear Colleague letter.
- The Dear Colleague letter issued by the DOE and DOJ in 2015.
- Specifically, see pages 37-39, Ensuring Meaningful Communication with Limited English Proficient Parents.
- This is the Department of Education and Department of Justice's interpretation of how the Civil Rights Act of 1964 applies to schools in the case of serving English Learners and families who speak languages other than English.
- Chapter 10 of the English Learner Tool Kit.
- Specifically, see pages 1-2 will give you the best idea of what the legal standard is.
- This tool kit offers other tools and resources to help schools meet their legal obligations. That being said, in our opinion, while they are accurate and useful, there is a gaping chasm between the tools provided here and what is actually necessary to implement the standards and meet expectations. That is where Together, Language can help.
Anne created a checklist you can use to determine what specific pieces of the requirements you have in place, and which you do not. It is far more detailed than the checklist provided in Chapter 10 (which, in our opinion, is less a checklist and more a list of discussion questions without guidance as to the right answer), and is based in the detailed text of the Dear Colleague letter.
Would you like a decision tree to help with debates about when or whether to provide an interpreter or translation?
