DeKalb Summary of Interpretation and Translation Services 2021-22

AID 1406917 · View on Simbli

Agenda Item

a. Translation and Interpretation Services Approval from Alta Language Services, Language Integration, LLC, Language Line Services Translation Station, Inc., Zab Translation Solutions, Real Time Translation (a combined total not to exceed $1,000,000.00)

Summary: Presented by: Ms. Stacy Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the purchase of professional translation and interpretation services from the following vendors in excess of $100,000.00 with a combined total not to exceed $1,000,000.00 for the following vendors:

Alta Language Services
Language Integration, LLC
Language Line Services
Translation Station, Inc.
Zab Translation Solutions
Real Time Translation
Why: Due to combined spending from all schools and centers serving parents and students whose primary home language is other than English (PHLOTEs), the total cost of translation and interpretation services may exceed $100,000.00 for one or more of the service providers.
Details: The DeKalb County School District, as a local educational agency (LEA) receiving federal grants, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) grants, has a legal obligation to maintain meaningful communication with parents and students who may not have English as their primary language. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and IDEA mandate that parental notices and communication must be in a language that the parents or guardians can understand. Services from approved agencies are included in the District’s agreement with the OCR to provide language support services to our linguistically diverse community. Additionally, interpretation services are required during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings.

The continuous increase in our linguistically diverse student and parent population has resulted in a higher demand for translation and interpretation services. Communication with the parents and guardians of these students is crucial for their academic performance. The DeKalb County School District currently serves over 25,967 students whose primary home language is other than English (PHLOTEs). The significant number of languages and dialects (171) spoken by our linguistically diverse community requires the use of several sources to ensure effective communication with all students and parents. Interpretation and translation services to communicate with students and parents are necessary to ensure equity and access to all our services and programs.

According to DJE III(B)(4), multiple vendors are used based on professional ability to provide translation/interpretation services in the requested languages district-wide for all schools.
Financial impact: The financial impact to the general funds for school year 2022-2023 will not exceed the amount of $1,000,000.00.

Department of English Learners Charge Code:
100.2100 530000.07711.7130.9990.6015.035.0000 (700,000.00)

Department of Exceptional Education Charge Code: 100.1000.530000.00011.7340.2021.8010.035.0000($250,000.00)
100.1000.530000.22711.7320.9990.8010.035.0000($50,000.00)
Contact: Ms. Stacy Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678.676.0731
Ms. Michele Summerlin, Executive Director, Exceptional Education, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678.676.2163
Dr. Evelyn G. Hall, Director, English Learners Program/Title III and DeKalb International Screening Center, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678.676.6602
Effective: July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023
Status: Reviewed by General Counsel
                                DeKalb-Approved Vendors Providing Interpretation and Translation Services
                                          Summary of Interpretation and Translation Services
                                                  From July 1, 2021 to May 30, 2022
         *Interpretation services are provided for, but not limited to, IEP meetings, 504 meetings, parent meetings, P/T conferences, curriculum nights,
                           phone calls, conference calls, MTSS meetings, hearings, open house, and parent involvement conferences.

       The tables below represent the three types of Interpretation and Translation services provide to DCSD parents for the 2021-2022 school year by
       language:
                 On Demand interpretations are for brief unscheduled or emergency calls using a telephone interpretation service or ELSA app.
                 Pre-scheduled interpretations are requests for face-to-face or phone meetings with parents at a pre-determined time and place.
                 Document Translations are requests for written documents to be translated into a language other than English.


      2021-2022 On Demand Interpretations Services           2021-2022 Pre-scheduled Interpretation Services                   2021-2022 Document Translations
 (DCSD Help Line, ELSA Landline, ELSA App, Language Line)      Languages Assigned for   Number of Interpretations                             Number of        Number of
Language                         Total Calls Per Language           Interpretation           Per Language                Languages for     Translations Per     Parents
Albanian                                      5             Amharic                                51                     Translation          Language       Impacted Per
Amharic                                      79             Arabic                                 54               Amharic                       24              1,081
Arabic                                      112             Bengali                                80               Arabic                        20               448
Bantu                                         1             Burmese                                140              Bengali                       20               353
Bengali                                      57             Chinese (Simplified)                   22               Burmese                       25               883
Burmese                                     175             Croatian                                1               Chinese (Simplified)          18               152
Chaldean                                      6                                                                     Dari                           1               303
                                                            Dari                                   17
Chin                                          6                                                                     English (USA)                  2                2
                                                            Dinka                                   1
Chinese                                       7                                                                     French                        21               276
                                                            English (USA)                           5
Creole                                        4                                                                     Haitian Creole                 1               17
                                                            Farsi                                   4
Dari                                         57                                                                     Hindi                         17               287
                                                            French                                 38
Ethiopian                                     1                                                                     Karen                         21               360
                                                            Gujarati                                8
Farsi                                        71                                                                     Kinyarwanda                    2               126
French                                       39             Haitian Creole                          4
                                                            Hebrew                                  5               Nepali                        24               501
French Creole                                 1
                                                            Hindi                                  20               Persian, Farsi                 1                7
Gujarati                                      5
                                                            Igbo                                    1               Pushto                         1               257
Hebrew                                        1
                                                            Indonesian                              2               Somali                        19               316
Hindi                                        16
                                                            Italian                                 1               Spanish (US)                  118            15,599
Japanese                                      3
                                                            Japanese                                2               Swahili                       29               745
Kanjobal                                      1
                                                            Karen                                  53               Telugu                        17               193
Karen                                        65
                                                            Karenni                                 9               Tigrinya                      20               204
Kayah                                         3
                                                                                                                    Vietnamese                    18               311
Kinyarwanda                                  57             Kinyarwanda                             4
                                                                                                                    Totals                        419            22,421
Kirundi                                       5             Kirundi                                 6
Kunama                                       11             Kunama                                  9
Kurdish                                       6             Kurdish                                 2
Malay                                         1             Mam                                     9
Mam                                           2             Mandingo                                1
Mandarin                                      8             Marathi                                 8
Nepali                                      166             Nepali                                 82
Oromo                                         2             Oromo                                  10
Pashto                                       43             Persian, Farsi                          5
Persian                                       9             Portuguese (Brazil)                     4
Portugese                                     1
                                                            Pushto                                  7
Portuguese                                    4
                                                            Russian                                 2
Rohingya                                      9
                                                            Somali                                 13
Rundi                                         1
                                                            Spanish (US)                         2,886
Somali                                       48
                                                            Swahili                                71
Spanish                                    1,983
Sudanese Arabic                               2             Tamil                                   2
Swahili                                     161             Telugu                                  2
Swedish                                       1             Thai                                    4
Tamil                                         4             Tigrinya                               31
Thai                                          2             Turkish                                 2
Tigrinya                                     84             Urdu                                    2
Turkish                                       5             Vietnamese                             28
Urdu                                          2             Yoruba                                  4
Vietnamese                                   49             Zo                                      1
Zo                                            1             Zomi                                    4
         Grand Total                       3,382            Grand Total                          3,845
                          2021 - 2022 Interpretation and Translation Services
   4,500
   4,000
   3,500
   3,000
   2,500
   2,000                                                                  3,845
                                 3,382
   1,500
   1,000
      500
                                                                                                                      419
        -
                  On Demand Interpretations                 Pre-scheduled Interpretations                       Translations
                    (ELSA, Language Line)

  The graph above shows the number of each type of interpretation and translation service requested for the
                                        2021 - 2022 school year




            2021-2022 On Demand Interpretations                                       2021-2022 Pre-scheduled Interpretations



                                      DCSD - Help Line
                                        678 - 20.0%                                        DCSD - In House
                                                                                              819 - 21%
                 RTT Mobile -                                                                                           Alta
                   ELSA APP,                                                                                        1,453 - 38%
                    Landline
                 1,620 - 47.9%

                                                                                                 Translation
                                        Language Line                                              Station
                                        1,084 - 32.1%                                            1,573 - 41%




   The graph above shows the number and percentage of On Demand              The graph above shows the number and percentage of Pre-scheduled
Interpretations (ELSA App & landline, DCSD Help Line and Language Line)   Interpretations (Face to Face or Over the Phone) handled by each provider
      handled by each provider during the 2021 - 2022 school year                             during the 2021 - 2022 school year
                       2021-2022 Pre-scheduled Interpretations
                                                         Translation        Total
Language                   ALTA        DCSD - In house      Station    Interpretations
Amharic                      39              12                               51
Arabic                       11              11               32              54
Bengali                      10               1               69              80
Burmese                      17              54               69             140
Chinese (Simplified)         6                                16              22
Croatian                                                       1               1
Dari                                                          17              17
Dinka                                                          1               1
English (USA)                                 5                                5
Farsi                                                          4               4
French                       7               12               19              38
Gujarati                                                       8               8
Haitian Creole                                                 4               4
Hebrew                                                         5               5
Hindi                        5                                15              20
Igbo                                                           1               1
Indonesian                                                     2               2
Italian                                                        1               1
Japanese                     1                                 1               2
Karen                                                         53              53
Karenni                                                        9               9
Kinyarwanda                                                    4               4
Kirundi                                                        6               6
Kunama                                                         9               9
Kurdish                                       1                1               2
Mam                                           8                1               9
Mandingo                                                       1               1
Marathi                                                        8               8
Nepali                                       12               70              82
Oromo                                                         10              10
Persian, Farsi                                                 5               5
Portuguese (Brazil)                           1                3               4
Pushto                                                         7               7
Russian                                                        2               2
Somali                                                        13              13
Spanish (US)               1,352             670              864           2,886
Swahili                                      24               47              71
Tamil                                                          2               2
Telugu                                                         2               2
Thai                                          1                3               4
Tigrinya                                      6               25              31
Turkish                                                        2               2
Urdu                                                           2               2
Vietnamese                   5                1               22              28
Yoruba                                                         4               4
Zo                                                             1               1
Zomi                                                           4               4
Grand Total                1,453             819            1,573           3,845
                2021-2022 On Demand Interpretations Calls                        2021-2022 On Demand Interpretations
          (DCSD Help Line, ELSA Landline, ELSA App, Language Line)                ELSA Landline, ELSA App and Language Line
Language          DISC Help Line       ELSA      Language Line Total Calls   Languages Assigned for Total Minutes used per
Albanian                                  5                          5             Interpretation             Language
Amharic                 42               21            16            79      Albanian                            170
Arabic                  42               57            13           112      Amharic                             472
Bantu                                     1                          1       Arabic                              960
Bengali                 39               18                          57      Bantu                                16
Burmese                                 117            58           175      Bengali                             282
Chaldean                                  6                          6       Burmese                            2,073
Chin                                      4             2            6       Chaldean                            107
Chinese                                   7                          7       Chin Hakha                           44
Creole                                    4                          4       Chinese                              80
Dari                                     44            13            57      Creole                               26
Ethiopian                                 1                          1       Dari                                803
Farsi                                    47            24            71      Ethiopian                            23
French                   7               14            18            39      Farsi                              1,049
French Creole                             1                          1       French                              389
Gujarati                                  3             2            5       French Creole                         7
Hebrew                                    1                          1       Gujarati                             79
Hindi                                     5            11            16      Hebrew                                6
Japanese                                  3                          3       Hindi                               140
Kanjobal                                  1                          1       Japanese                             50
                                                                             Kanjobal                             12
Karen                                    49            16            65
                                                                             Karen                               779
Kayah                                                   3            3
                                                                             Kayah                                99
Kinyarwanda             51                5             1            57
                                                                             Kinyarwanda                          70
Kirundi                  4                1                          5
                                                                             Kirundi                               7
Kunama                                    8             3            11
                                                                             Kunama                              100
Kurdish                                   6                          6
                                                                             Kurdish                              98
Malay                                                   1            1
                                                                             Malay                                 3
Mam                                       2                          2
                                                                             Mam                                 100
Mandarin                                  4             4            8
                                                                             Mandarin                             99
Nepali                  95               37            34           166
                                                                             Nepali                              864
Oromo                                     2                          2
                                                                             Oromo                                15
Pashto                                   42             1            43
                                                                             Pashto                              447
Persian                                   9                          9       Persian                             117
Portugese                                 1                          1       Portugese                            21
Portuguese                                4                          4       Portuguese                           32
Rohingya                                  8             1            9       Rohingya                            133
Rundi                                                   1            1       Rundi                                 9
Somali                                    8            40            48      Somali                              591
Spanish                 272             952            759         1,983     Spanish                           17,956
Sudanese Arabic                                         2            2       Sudanese Arabic                       7
Swahili                 70               57            34           161      Swahili                            1,074
Swedish                                   1                          1       Swedish                              19
Tamil                                     3             1            4       Tamil                                29
Thai                                      2                          2       Thai                                 42
Tigrinya                56               16            12            84      Tigrinya                            272
Turkish                                   5                          5       Turkish                             149
Urdu                                      1             1            2       Urdu                                 52
Vietnamese                               37            12            49      Vietnamese                          461
Zo                                                      1            1       Zo                                    3
    Grand Total         678            1,620          1,084        3,382     Grand Total                       30,436
                                    2021-2022 TRANSLATIONS
                                                                                   Total
Language               DCSD - In house Translation Station          ZAB         Translations
Amharic                       3                 4                    17              24
Arabic                        1                 2                    17              20
Bengali                                         2                    18              20
Burmese                       4                 4                    17              25
Chinese (Simplified)                            1                    17              18
Dari                                            1                                    1
English (USA)                 1                                      1               2
French                        1                 2                    18              21
Haitian Creole                                  1                                    1
Hindi                                                                17              17
Karen                                             2                  19              21
Kinyarwanda                                       2                                  2
Nepali                         3                  4                  17              24
Persian, Farsi                                    1                                  1
Pushto                                            1                                  1
Somali                                            2                  17              19
Spanish (US)                  115                 1                  2              118
Swahili                        3                  5                  21              29
Telugu                                                               17              17
Tigrinya                       1                  1                  18              20
Vietnamese                                        1                  17              18
  Total Transla ons           132                 37                 250            419



                                2021 - 2022 Translations




                                  DCSD
                               132 - 31.5%




                                                         ZAB
                                                      250 - 59.7%

                 Translation Station
                      37, 8.8%




           The graph above shows the number and percentage of translation requests
                  handled by each provider during the 2021 - 2022 school year