When Maria Hernandez walked into her son’s school for a parent-teacher conference, she felt a familiar mix of hope and apprehension. Her son, Luis, was excelling in math but struggling in reading, and she wanted to know how to help him.
Maria speaks Spanish and worried about how she would communicate with Luis’s teacher. But when she arrived, the school staff provided an opportunity for mutual understanding. Within seconds, a bilingual interpreter from LanguageLine joined the meeting via video, bridging the language gap seamlessly.
For the first time, Maria felt truly included in her son’s education, able to ask questions and collaborate with the teacher to support his success.
This is just one example of how Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools (SCCPSS) in Georgia is transforming the way it serves multilingual families. By implementing on-demand interpretation services and other support systems, the district is breaking down barriers for students and parents whose first language is not English.
Escalating Diversity
In Chatham County, where the Hispanic population has grown 66% since 2010, schools are increasingly serving families with diverse linguistic needs. SCCPSS is home to a student body where 11% are English Language Learners (ELLs). For many of these families, navigating the school system can be daunting, but the district has taken significant steps to ensure every family feels supported.
"We currently have four bilingual interpreters and translators that travel to different schools to assist parents with any needs that they may have, whether it is registration and lunch, or any school question or concern,” said Michele Torres, an English as a Second Language (ESL) Specialist for SCCPSS. “We also have LanguageLine, which is an on-demand interpretation service that we call. And an interpreter gets on the line, and they translate right there on the spot, within 30 seconds of us calling them."
By combining in-house interpreters with LanguageLine’s 24/7 services, SCCPSS ensures that language is never a barrier to meaningful engagement. On-demand interpretation is available in video and audio-only formats in more than 240 languages. This approach has eliminated the burden some families previously faced when they had to hire their own interpreters to communicate with teachers or administrators.
The district’s commitment to language access extends into the classroom as well. SCCPSS offers a robust ESL program that equips teachers with the tools to support ELL students academically. Interpretation services are also integral to Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans, enabling parents to fully participate in shaping their child’s education.
Essential for a Diverse County
These initiatives are critical in a community as diverse as Chatham County, where 8% of residents identify as Hispanic or Latino. The district’s efforts to include multilingual families reflect a broader goal of fostering equity in education. On-demand interpretation ensures that families like Maria’s can participate fully in their children’s education, whether it’s during a parent-teacher conference, a disciplinary meeting, or a registration session.
The benefits of this partnership are significant:
- Improved Communication with Families: Non-English-speaking parents can interact effectively with teachers, administrators, and staff during meetings, conferences, and events.
- Enhanced Support for Students: Tailored support plans, including IEPs and 504 Plans, are easier to develop when parents can fully engage.
- Increased Parental Engagement: Families feel empowered to participate in their children’s education without fear of misunderstanding or exclusion.
- Equity and Inclusion: LanguageLine helps SCCPSS meet federal compliance standards like Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and IDEA, ensuring meaningful access for all families.
- Time and Cost Efficiency: On-demand interpretation eliminates delays and is more cost-effective than hiring full-time, on-site interpreters for every interaction.
- Emergency Readiness: Schools can quickly connect with interpreters during crises, ensuring all families receive critical information in real time.
For families like Maria’s, the impact is profound. On-demand interpretation empowers parents to advocate for their children, understand their needs, and collaborate with educators. For students, it means access to tailored support that helps them thrive academically and socially.
Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools’ approach demonstrates how thoughtful investments in language access can create more inclusive and equitable learning environments. We invite you to contact us today to so that we can learn more about the opportunities for mutual understanding that exist within your school district.
