Education Archives

Supporting Multilingual Learners in Special Education

Posted on November 20, 2025December 4, 2025 by Piedmont Global Marketing

A conversation with Mark Byrne and Dr. Ashley Crown

Introduction

Mark Byrne:
Thanks for joining us today. We’ll keep this to about 30 minutes, with time for Q&A at the end. This discussion matters — supporting multilingual learners in special education is not a political issue. It’s about one thing: parent engagement as a catalyst for student success.

I’m joined by Dr. Ashley Crown from Libertyville District 70 Schools. Ashley, would you introduce yourself and share a bit about your work?

Dr. Ashley Crown:
Absolutely. This is my 18th year in District 70. I spent most of that time as a school psychologist, and in the last couple of years I’ve moved into a district-level coordinator role. I’ve been working closely with our multilingual teachers and supporting initiatives to better serve multilingual learners. One major improvement has been partnering with Piedmont Global to secure translation and interpretation services — tools that help ensure parents and students have access when it matters most.

Why interpreters matter in Special Education

Mark:
When we talk about interpretation, we’re talking about more than word-for-word language transfer. It’s about clarity, trust, and connection. It’s about giving parents meaningful participation in their child’s education.

Technology gives us a lot of helpful tools — Google Translate, speech-to-text, AI translation devices — but in special education settings, well-trained human interpreters are irreplaceable.

We want families to feel heard and able to engage in the process. Their understanding directly supports student achievement. Ashley, can you share how you’ve seen this play out in your district?

Dr. Crown:
Parents are the most important members of our teams. They know their child best, and we need their authentic voice. Interpretation supports that voice. It ensures parents can contribute meaningfully — whether we’re sharing progress, reviewing interventions, or making decisions about services.

Language access isn’t optional; it’s how parents know they are part of the team and that their input matters.

Preparing interpreters for success

Mark:
We also need interpreters to feel like they’re part of the team. When you have a complex IEP or an expulsion hearing, giving interpreters context in advance is critical.

It’s like hiring an attorney and not telling them anything about your case — they can’t represent you effectively without context.

Ashley, what does clarifying expectations look like on your end?

Dr. Crown:
A few pieces:

Explain the purpose of the meeting
Outline what we hope to accomplish
Share whether the parent wants full interpretation or support as needed

Sometimes parents are comfortable in English but want an interpreter for clarity. Preparing interpreters for that dynamic helps the meeting run smoothly.

Using clear language and avoiding jargon

Mark:
Another best practice: using short, simple sentences and avoiding idioms and slang. These often don’t translate well.

I once told a former boss I could “play ball” on a project — she thought I meant something totally different. It was a humbling reminder that casual language creates confusion.

Dr. Crown:
Education is full of jargon and acronyms — MTSS, RTI, IEP, FBA. We talk about this often in our district: spell things out. Use the full term. Avoid abbreviations.

Even things like class names can be confusing. “Studio One” means homeroom to us, but to others, it means nothing without context.

These are good practices in any meeting — but essential when an interpreter is involved.

Respecting the interpreter’s role

Mark:
We need to slow down, give interpreters time to interpret, and allow parents time to think and respond. Silence is purposeful. Interpretation isn’t instant.

Interpreters also follow strict professional standards — confidentiality, neutrality, FERPA, HIPAA compliance. It’s a serious responsibility.

How do you communicate this to your teams?

Dr. Crown:
We remind staff that interpreters need processing time. We also emphasize that some special education concepts don’t translate directly, so clarity takes extra time.

We encourage teams not to rush, not to fill silence, and to give interpreters the space they need to provide accurate information.

Cultural awareness and trust-building

Mark:
Building trust isn’t just linguistic — cultural awareness matters too. Tone, body language, even the color you mark on a test can carry different meanings across cultures.

Educators already work hard to create respectful, welcoming environments. Cultural awareness strengthens those efforts.

Dr. Crown:
Exactly. Our cultural work impacts everything we do. When families come from multiple languages and cultures, being intentional becomes even more important.

Scheduling interpreters effectively

Mark:
Let’s talk logistics. Planning ahead is key. When districts pre-schedule interpreters:

We can match you with someone with special education expertise
You avoid last-minute gaps
We can share documents beforehand

If you know the meeting date, schedule the interpreter.

Dr. Crown:
And remember — language access in special education is a legal right. Not a convenience. We need to take it seriously.

Mark:
We use the 50% rule: if a meeting is usually an hour, schedule 90 minutes when an interpreter is involved.

Dr. Crown:
We also create buffer time at the beginning to brief the interpreter, and time at the end for questions. Overscheduling is better than rushing.

Choosing the right modality

Mark:
We offer onsite, video remote (VRI), and telephonic interpretation. Different situations call for different tools.

Your team even created a “modality cheat sheet,” right?

Dr. Crown:
Yes — our ML department mapped which modality is best for which meeting type, plus what technology each requires. It prevents surprises and ensures consistency.

Using trained, qualified interpreters

Mark:
Compliance is tightening, especially in states like Illinois. Pulling a bilingual teacher or gym coach into a meeting isn’t best practice.

We categorize interpreters by specialty — education, mental health, healthcare — so districts can choose the right fit.

Dr. Crown:
That has been huge. When we expect emotional conversations or mental health concerns, choosing a mental health–trained interpreter makes all the difference.

Translation requirements and legislation

Mark:
Let’s talk about new legislation around IEP translation.

Dr. Crown:
There are strict timelines around drafts, notices, and final documents. Districts must ask parents if they need translations, document that they asked, and provide the materials in time for parents to review them.

Google Translate helps in limited ways — but special education terminology often requires a more sophisticated process. Parents need to understand what they’re consenting to.

Mark:
Exactly. We often use machine translation with post-editing, supported by glossaries and translation memories, which keeps costs manageable while ensuring accuracy.

Being proactive, not reactive

Mark:
One district shared that 95% of their telephonic interpretation calls were for behavior issues. That’s a huge missed opportunity.

I want to flip that. A quick positive call home, delivered in a family’s language, can transform trust and connection. Telephonic interpretation costs pennies compared to the impact it creates.

We can’t wait until there’s a problem to communicate.

Low-incidence languages

Dr. Crown:
We’ve always been able to get interpreters for low-incidence languages through Piedmont Global — scheduling ahead makes it easier.

Mark:
We support 100+ on-demand languages and 200+ overall. The key is identifying the right modality and having internal systems so staff know who to contact when a need arises.

Building systems that outlast individuals

Dr. Crown:
We trained ML teachers and principals in all buildings so every school has someone who knows how to use our interpretation platform.

Mark:
Yes — language access can’t depend on one champion. It needs structure, training, and clear processes so that access is consistent district-wide.

Q&A highlights

Do schools have to provide IEP translations?
Yes. It is a legal requirement. Districts handle this in different ways, but accuracy and readability matter.

How is AI impacting translation?
AI tools have existed for decades in the form of CAT tools, translation memories, and glossaries. They reduce cost and improve consistency — especially for repetitive documents like IEPs.

How do we support low-incidence languages?
Use the right modality, schedule early when possible, and make sure staff know the internal point of contact.

How do we build trust with multilingual families?
Proactive outreach. Clear communication. Personal phone calls with interpreters. Notifying families of their rights. Making language access visible, not hidden.

How do we give feedback about interpreters?
Use the rating system in the portal. Share positives and concerns. We can reassign interpreters based on dialect, cultural fit, or feedback.

Closing thoughts

Mark:
This is privileged work. Every day we have the chance to help families participate meaningfully in their child’s education. Thank you to Dr. Crown, District 70, and everyone doing this work on the front lines.

If you have questions, reach out — I’m always here to help.

Ready to strengthen language access across your district?

Book a consultation with a Piedmont Global Language Access Consultant and start building a system that supports every student, every family, and every school.

Meet with Mark → Schedule 15-minute kickoff call

Family Engagement Drives EL Student Success: How Language Access Makes a Difference

Posted on June 23, 2025December 4, 2025 by Piedmont Global Marketing

More than 50 years of research from the U.S. Department of Education shows the irreplaceable impact of family engagement on student achievement. From higher grades and test scores to increased teacher morale and graduation rates, K-12 schools benefit from investments in family engagement.

Considering that English-learner (EL) students traditionally lag behind their peers’ academic performance, family engagement offers a bridge to better outcomes. However, most EL students have parents or caregivers who do not speak English fluently. Building and sustaining these relationships requires a strategic approach to generate measurable results.

Whether you are noticing an increase in EL students in your district or are considering how to improve outcomes for your existing EL students, family engagement must play a central role. While bridging the gap between languages and cultures can be daunting, a comprehensive K-12 language access plan identifies the necessary structure and resources to engage effectively with multilingual families.

Do you need help advocating for an increase in language access planning and resources in your district? We’ve rounded up the most common language access-related challenges facing K-12 schools today and paired them with solutions that are time-tested and supported by data.

Challenge: Addressing Language Barriers between Teachers and Multilingual Parents/Caregivers

The majority of EL students come from households where English isn’t the primary language. Without meaningful language support, it’s much harder for schools to engage families in discussions about their child’s progress. This leaves EL students vulnerable to the adverse effects of minimal familial support, which will not help them catch up with their native English-speaking peers, who benefit from academic support at home. Also, when announcements and events are released only in English, multilingual families are excluded from socially integrating into the school community.

No matter what language is spoken at home, most parents are interested in tracking their students’ academic progress and working with teachers to support learning outcomes. Parents know their children are more likely to show better attendance, grades, and social development if they’re involved. The challenge facing K-12 schools is tackling the language and cultural barriers between them.

Solution: Factor Family Engagement into Your Interpreting and Translation Budget

To improve engagement, consider how and where schools communicate with families. Which conversations, resources, and events can lead to the greatest impact?

Parent meetings are among the most important, high-touch opportunities to address student academic needs, so this should be one of your top priorities. If employing an on-site linguist is not an option, virtual remote interpretation is a cost-effective alternative that allows for greater flexibility and language variance. Creating a system for submitting interpreter requests in advance can help bring down costs further.

Next, official materials, such as handbooks, codes of conduct, and other essential information, should be made available in the languages spoken at home by families. Considering some of these resources are often perennial, with minor year-over-year updates, this investment can be of value for years to come.

Challenge: Ensuring EL Students with Special Needs Are Accommodated

EL students with special needs deserve additional attention to help ensure they receive adequate accommodations at school and support at home. Parents may lack the financial resources to help their children thrive inside and outside the classroom. Transparent communication with them is imperative and can significantly improve the students’ quality of life.

Special education often uses complex terms that can be hard to understand—especially for families who speak a language other than English. Multilingual parents of Deaf or hard-of-hearing students may feel excluded and overwhelmed when navigating the system.

Solution: Language Access Planning for Students with IEP and 504 Plans

In these cases, the IEP and 504 coordinators and language access coordinators need to team up. Language access planning must be inclusive of students with disabilities or special needs. Strategically considering this student population will allow educators, paraeducators, and coordinators to provide the appropriate accommodations and make informed decisions around budgets.

Since sensitive conversations, such as 504 and IEP planning sessions, chart a definitive path forward for EL students, parental involvement in the decision-making process is critical. Interpreters must be provided for these conversations to comply with Title VI non-discrimination requirements, whether for spoken language or ASL interpreting. Beyond compliance, interpreters provide much-needed precision and assurance when the stakes are high, enhancing trust in parent-teacher relationships.

Challenge: Facing the Budget Conversation

If you’re tasked with family engagement and language access and simultaneously concerned about how to advocate for your budget, you’re not alone. It may sound simple, but framing the ask correctly is important. The administration’s job is to allocate spending to efforts that will be compliant, efficient, and beneficial to students. Your job is to help them understand why language access needs to be a priority line item.

Solution: Align Your Ask with Data

As an advocate for EL students and families, you can help the administration see how family engagement enriches students’ academic experiences and builds trust with the community.

The best approach to the budget conversation is to lead with data. Connect the dots between language access and family engagement, which they may (or may not) already know supports better student outcomes, test scores, teacher retention, and other key metrics.

Also, conclude with data. Demonstrate how your investment will lead to measurable outcomes aligning with your district’s priorities. Overall, budget decision-makers should walk away from your conversation understanding that in more ways than one, getting multilingual families more involved is a win for everyone.

Challenge: Inconsistent Implementation of Existing Language Access Resources

Are you noticing inconsistencies across how different faculty members deploy language access resources? This is yet another common challenge. Between the long-term teachers with routines that are not easily disrupted, newer staff members still learning the ropes, or others who remain skeptical, uneven implementation of language access could allow EL students and families to slip through the cracks. This is especially disheartening after working hard to obtain budget and resources.

Solution: Schoolwide K-12 Language Access Planning and Training

When training faculty on how and when to deploy language access, give them a purpose to hold onto—and focus their attention on the positive impacts. Sometimes, folks need a “why” answer before embracing change. This might seem simple, but it goes a long way toward turning skeptics into champions of language access.

Partner with the expert PGLS team for K-12 language access planning and implementation. Learn more here and get in touch.

2025 Language Access Symposium: Positive Parental Engagement and EL Student Outcomes

Posted on May 19, 2025December 4, 2025 by Piedmont Global Marketing

In partnership with Fairfax County Public Schools Language Services, Piedmont Global hosted its second annual Language Access Symposium on May 8. Attended by educators from various school districts within the DMV area, the event brought together language access champions for an engaging half-day of conversations and camaraderie.

The question on everyone’s mind was, “What does the future hold for language access?” Bill Rivers spoke to the legal compliance focus of language access and the importance of continued advocacy on the Hill. While multilingual families and students are still protected by the Office of Civil Rights and Title VI, advocating for the value of language access is more important than ever.

As educators continue to connect the dots between spending and efficacy, much of the discussion centered on solutions and strategies to promote English learner (EL) student growth, with a special focus on engaging parents, analyzing data for trends, and creating stories of impact.

In Review: Family Engagement and EL Student Growth

As a group of evidence-based educators, symposium attendees brought a wealth of knowledge (and experience) to the conversation about EL student outcomes.

Plenty of research indicates that when parents are involved, children do better in school: advancing in socio-emotional learning, testing higher, and exhibiting more predictable behavior. However, when it comes to the impact of parental engagement on EL student growth, available data is lacking in specifics. This may account for some of the challenges educators face when engaging with EL families.

Most school districts invest time and resources into parent engagement. However, English-speaking families often have different relationships with teachers and administrators compared to EL families. Language access is a bridge to understanding, but if interpreter resources are not easy to use or not explicitly encouraged, educators may only use them sparingly, or only in reaction to a problem that needs to be solved urgently. As a result, the only conversations between teachers and EL families might be negative or challenging: disciplinary matters, poor academic performance, or other difficult conversations.

Many agreed there is room for improvement. Alternative strategies were discussed. For example, what would prioritizing proactive, positive engagement with EL families look like? Which academic milestones or school events should trigger a conversation, and how can language access leaders encourage teachers to take the initiative?

Another symposium speaker, Jason Velasco, also spoke to AI advancements that can help school districts bolster multilingual communication in the classroom.

While the heart of parental engagement is driving connection and building trust, determining measurable impact must also be factored into the plan.

How Language Access Leaders Can Make Their Case with Data

Symposium attendees also shared best practices surrounding data and storytelling. The group discussed ways that school districts can leverage student assessments and test scores to develop insights and points of reference for supporting EL student growth.

For example, looking at local norms, such as how the district’s students are performing, and modeling EL student data against these norms establishes a baseline. These figures can be helpful in figuring out what is working for EL students and what is not.

Prior to trying anything new, educators should have these baselines handy for comparison. If improvements to EL student performance are observable after implementing changes, such as a proactive parent engagement strategy, language access leaders can clearly spell out the impact of their programs.

Measuring long-tail impacts can be challenging, which is why educators need to find the lowest-hanging fruit. Educators need to look at not just grades, but also socio-emotional learning, attendance records, behavioral incidents, and other key indicators. Much of this data is readily available and can make all the difference when needing to advocate for resources, especially when budgets are tight.

The Future of Language Access is Bright!

Al Radford, director of Public Relations and Community Relations at Manassas City Public Schools, told Piedmont Global, “I had a lot of key takeaways to bring back to my district. I learned a lot that got me excited about family engagement.” On the value of coming together, Al also said, “Community is important. It helps us to understand that none of us are islands. We don’t have to work in isolation. At the core, all of us are about providing services to our families. Being able to talk with each other and share ideas is paramount.”

This group of language access leaders shares an optimistic view of the future. As more schools prioritize relationships with EL students and families and adopt language access best practices, programs can continue to expand to meet their needs and give students the best chance at success.

Piedmont Global looks forward to our next opportunity to convene the DMV’s language access community in 2026. Thank you to our attendees and to our host, Fairfax County Public Schools Language Services, for providing such a great experience.

Stay tuned for more insights and discussion about language access in K-12 schools. If you would like to host a Language Access Symposium in your region, we’d love to hear from you.