When parents can’t access educational services and information in their native or preferred language, children often fall into the role of ad hoc interpreter. This puts children in a position of explaining to their parents what their teacher said about their own progress as a student, as one example.
Without a professional interpreter to help, the child faces pressure that can impact their emotional and academic development.
Schools are legally required to provide language services, but the use of interpretation and translation remains inconsistent in many districts. And with schools already under-resourced, the rollback of language access policies by the current administration threatens to widen achievement gaps and deepen inequities.
Families may lose access to critical information they need at a time when consistent communication matters most.
What families hear isn’t always what schools intend to communicate
Although one in five U.S. residents speaks a language other than English at home, many school communications remain centered on English. That often leaves families who aren’t fluent in English in the dark about essential topics, like how to register, how to get involved in school activities, and what support is available for a child with a disability.
When schools don’t have a clear process for providing professional interpretation, families are left to bridge these gaps however they can, often relying on their children or bilingual staff who haven’t been trained to interpret. This approach is unreliable and can lead to an undue burden on children and staff, confusion, legal risk and missed opportunities to build trust.
Legal protections exist, but district action is essential
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 requires schools receiving federal funds to provide meaningful access to students and families with limited English proficiency. And the Americans with Disabilities Act requires schools to ensure that students and families who are deaf or hard of hearing have the right tools and support to communicate effectively, including access to American Sign Language interpreters.
These protections remain in place, and so does the responsibility to uphold them.
But recent federal actions, such as eliminating Executive Order 13166 (“Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency”), signal a shift away from long-standing civil rights commitments to language access in education. Districts may receive less guidance and fewer resources, which risks increasing disparities between districts with strong language access infrastructure and those without.
Steps every district can take to improve communication
Federal law sets the floor, not the ceiling, for what districts must provide the limited English proficient families they serve. Four steps can help districts ensure that they are communicating effectively with all families:
- Focus on the most important documents: Start by translating the materials that impact student success, including enrollment packets, IEP and 504 forms, report cards, attendance policies, discipline guidelines and parent handbooks. Most of these documents don’t change often, so they can be reused year to year.
- Partner with a language services provider to guarantee access to professional interpreters in the breadth of languages spoken by families in the district: Many areas of the U.S. have become more diverse in terms of languages spoken, which makes it difficult for a district to ensure that they have interpreters available in the languages they need, when they need them. A qualified language services provider can offer access to interpreters in hundreds of languages by phone, video or in person, ensuring that districts can easily communicate with every family.
- Build a language access plan and train staff to use it: A plan helps ensure consistency within and across schools, and lets staff know when and how to connect with language support. Provide regular staff training and make sure families know their rights, too.
- Advocate for better investment in language access: Many districts don’t have dedicated resources for language access. Education leaders can help change that by advocating for funding and including language services in district goals and accountability plans.
Language access strengthens trust and improves outcomes
Families want to participate in their child’s education, but language barriers can prevent even the most engaged families from getting involved.
Language access isn’t just a courtesy—it’s a civil right. Districts that treat it as essential, not optional, will lead the way toward a more equitable public education system that meets the needs of all students, regardless of what languages they speak.
