Teachers and school administrators are well aware that access to translation and interpretation services are essential for the success of English Language Learners (ELL) and their families. This is especially true for ELL SPED students who require IEPs.
Though schools are increasingly required to provide translated materials, getting funding to support these mandates can be a challenge. Planning your school’s budget with translation needs in mind allows for a smoother approval process and quicker access to services throughout the year.
Supporting Needs of ELL Families
The first step in budgeting for your school or district’s translation needs starts with a review of your population and programs. Use this checklist to help estimate your translation needs.
- Determine the number of ELL students and the various languages they speak.
- Estimate the number of hours you will need an interpreter for activities including:
- Parent-teacher conferences
- Community programs such as Back to School Night or Curriculum Nights*
- Average number of calls you can expect throughout the year per family
- Look back at the various flyers and newsletters you created in the last school year. Count the frequency of these communications and the average number of words for each one. Also be sure to include materials like forms and permission slips, as well as handbooks and codes of conduct.*
*Remember that if your student population speaks multiple languages, your budget will need to allow for materials to be translated into several languages, as well as multiple interpreters.
Plan for ELL SPED Students
In addition to standard school communications, it’s important to assess the number of SPED students with Limited English Proficiency.
Consider the number of SPED students in your district as you plan your school budget. Include the number of IEPs to be translated and IEP meetings that require an interpreter in your budget projections.
Take Advantage of Purchasing Coops
Districts large and small can take advantage of nationwide purchasing coops which offer discounts and pre-negotiated rates to members while ensuring their vendors are in full compliance with state and Federal procurement requirements.
At Alboum, we are active on the following purchasing coops. It is free to join and members receive pre-negotiated rates + a 5% discount on all services:
- BuyBoard
- Choice Partners
- TIPS
- Allied States/ESC-19
- Region One ESC
Alboum services are also available through multiple COSERs in NY which allow districts to use Federal funds.
Select Your Translation Vendor Ahead of Time
The prices of translation and interpretation services vary, so schools benefit by selecting a translation partner ahead of time. This allows you to not only accurately plan your budget based on correct prices, but also makes the approval process easier throughout the year.
Why Choose Alboum as Your Translation Partner?
At Alboum, speak the language of education, and can translate and interpret in nearly 100 languages allowing us to meet the varied needs of your school.
We work with hundreds of schools and districts across the country, as well as utilize both translation memory and machine translation in appropriate situations. We work alongside districts to determine the best-fit approach to your translation needs – leveraging technology to speed the process and reduce costs when and where it makes sense.
In addition to participation in five nationwide purchasing coops, we work with purchasing offices on POs and happily accept P-cards.
While some disticts choose to pre-pay their translation services, most create an open PO that we bill against throughout the year. We can make your life easy by tracking where you are against budget so you know when to ask for more money.
To learn more about how Alboum can help your school prepare an accurate budget, request a quote or contact us today.
