Agenda Item
c. Translations and Interpretation Services (Not to Exceed $1,500,000)
Summary: Presented by: Mrs. Kiana King, Interim Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education approve the purchase of professional translation and interpretation services from the following vendors in excess of $100,000 with a combined total not to exceed $1,500,000 for the following seven vendors:
ALTA Language Services
LATN Language Solutions
Piedmont Global Language Service
Real Time Translation
SeSo, Inc.
Translation Station, Inc.
Zab Translation Solutions
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 from 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 families and students who speak other languages. Additionally, interpretation services are required during Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings.
Financial impact: The financial impact to the general funds for the school year 2026-2027 will not exceed the amount of $1,500,000.00.
Department of English Learners Charge Code:
100.2100 530000.07711.7130.9990.6015.094.0000 ($975,000.00)
Department of Exceptional Education Charge Code: 100.1000.530000.00011.7340.2021.8010.094.0000($450,000.00)
100.1000.530000.22711.7320.9990.8010.094.0000($50,000.00)
Title III Funds and general funds will be used to purchase these resources.
Charge codes:
460.1000.553200.07221.7130.1816.6015.094.2026
100.1000.553200.07711.7130.1353.6015.094.0000
Contact: Mrs. Kiana King, Interim Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services,
Dr. Evelyn Hall, Executive Director of English Learners Department 678-676-6603
Dr. Erin Broyard-Baptiste, Interim Executive Director, Exceptional Education, Division of Student Services, 678-676-1814
Effective: July 1, 2026- June 30, 2027
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
Translation Station, Inc.
1834 Independence Square
LANGUAGE EXPERTS Dunwoody, GA 30338
SINCE 1998 770-234-9387
www.translationstation.com
Atlanta-based, language service provider with an
exceptional reputation for the highest quality linguists Point of Contact: Lindsey Cambardella, CEO
and unmatched customer service. lindsey@translationstation.com
COMPANY HISTORY COMPANY
DIFFERENTIATORS
Founded in 1998
- Interpreters are carefully vetted on
- 28 years of experience in the industry
experience/training and are trained on
- Certified WOSB and WBE
confidentiality, ethics, fraud/waste/abuse, and
Broad Capabilities annual background checks are performed
- Availability of 200+ languages - Two reminders sent to interpreters (reduces
- Scheduled and on-demand interpretation no shows)
- Quick and accurate document translation
- Friendly and efficient staff - "Matchmaking" approach (best/most reliable
interpreters are assigned)
- Very responsive and friendly scheduling team
- 7am - 6pm (business hours, + before/after
hours monitoring
LANGUAGE SERVICES
- Willingness to customize services and provide
reporting
Interpretation
- Spoken & ASL offered - Mid-sized
vs. mom & pop
- Consecutive & simultaneous available
vs. huge and investor-owned
- Scheduled onsite, video, and phone interpretation in 200
+ languages - Large enough to meet all needs, small enough
to be agile and customize services
- On-demand OPI available in 300+ languages
- On-demand VRI available in 21 languages (including ASL)
- 99.2% completion rate for requests sent to us in last 12 TEAMS
months by DIWC/DCSD (2831 total requests; 23 total
unable to cover; 6 were last-minute (within 24 hours)) Scheduling – Receiving requests, hand
selecting best interpreters, sending
- Unique "matchmaking" approach to hand-selecting
confirmations and reminders (spoken & ASL)
interpreters (offering out one at a time to most qualified/
most reliable vs. automated "blast" offer approach of other Credentials – Verifying linguist qualifications,
companies) maintaining records
- Willing to partner with clients to adapt services to client's Accounting – Accurately billing clients and
unique needs (for example, logging into Plunet to "deliver" paying linguists; reporting
requests in DIWC/DCSD's own scheduling system)
Translation Project Managers – Managing
document translation projects from start to
Translation & Other finish
Services
Leadership – Client relationship managed by
- Document translation services available in 200+
languages CEO, Director of Interpretation, and Director of
Client Experience; strategic and reporting
- Transcription, voice over, and other related services also support
available on a quote basis