|
SUPTS. MEMO. NO. 50
June 25, 1999 |
| TO: | Division Superintendents |
| FROM: | Paul D. Stapleton
Superintendent of Public Instruction |
| SUBJECT: | Survey: Educational Interpreters and |
In 1997, the Department created a database of persons providing educational interpreting services in local school divisions and state operated programs. Local school divisions and state operated programs were surveyed to provide information regarding qualifications and employment dates of all persons providing educational interpreting services. Attachment A displays the results of this survey for 1996-97 and 1997-98. The Department is gathering the third year of data for this database. The attached survey is to provide information about the number of persons employed in 1998-99 who provide educational interpreting services. In order to ensure the person's qualifications are current, qualification status should be verified through documentation from the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (VDDHH) or one of the organizations offering national certification (Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf [RID] or the Training Evaluation and Certification Unit [TECUnit] for Cued Speech). Certification from another state and from the National Association of the Deaf should be submitted to VDDHH for analysis. It should be noted that the Regulations Governing Special Education Programs for Children with Disabilities in Virginia (Regulations) specify the qualification requirements for persons providing educational interpreting services at 3.3 (C) as follows: Persons must hold a VQAS Level III, or any Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Certificate (excluding Certificate of Deaf Interpretation) or a national cued speech certification. The requirements apply to any person who provides educational interpreting services, not only to those persons whose job title is educational interpreter. As such, other school personnel may need to meet this qualification standard if they provide educational interpreting services. Such persons may be employed as teachers or teacher aides/assistants. Persons who do not hold this qualification standard may be employed according to the following criteria: * Hold a VQAS Level I upon hiring date in the local school division or state operated program; and, * Achieve a VQAS Level III (or national certification) by the third anniversary date of hiring in any local school division or state operated program. The Special Education Program Standards include requirements for obtaining a waiver of qualification standards at ?3.1 (B). * A non-renewable waiver may be provided for individuals who have not achieved a VQAS Level I, for one year after the individual's hiring date. * A non-renewable one-year waiver may be provided for individuals who have not attained a VQAS Level III by the third anniversary of their hiring date. Many persons employed in local school divisions need to complete a VQAS Performance Assessment, prior to September 1999. As a result, the Department encourages local school divisions to ensure that interpreters register for the assessment promptly. In this manner VDDHH can identify the number of assessments it needs to offer. Registration forms may be obtained by contacting: VDDHH Ratcliffe Building, Suite 203 1602 Rolling Hills Drive Richmond, VA 23229-5012 804-662-9502 V/TTY 1-800-552-7917 V/TTY 804-662-9718 FAX The Department of Education is continuing to work with VDDHH to address the high number of persons who will need to be assessed in the coming months. Please return the completed survey by July 16, 1999 to Ms. Brenda Stallard, Office of Special Education and Student Services. Questions about the survey, qualification standards and waivers may be directed to Dr. Lissa Power-deFur, Associate Director, Special Education and Student Services at (804) 225-2818 or via E-Mail at lpower-d@pen.k12.va.us. Thank you for your assistance. PDS:lpdf Attachment: A hard copy of this memo and its attachments will be sent to the superintendent's office.