How can your school or district keep students safe, informed, and engaged if their families can’t understand key messages? You can’t—and that’s why language access is so important. Now that the school year is back in full swing, communication early and often is critical to better outcomes.
Approximately five million students in the United States have limited English proficiency (LEP). For these students and their families, the language barrier can impact everything from academic progress to understanding health and safety updates.
It’s a challenge for schools to keep every family informed while managing costs and resources, but with the right language access strategies, these challenges are manageable.
Here are six tips to help you create an inclusive environment where all students can thrive.
1. Have a clear language access plan in place
A strong language access plan is the foundation for effective communication with LEP families. Without a clear strategy, families may slip through the cracks. A well-developed plan:
- Provides access to interpreters and translation services when needed
- Equips staff with knowledge of how to use these resources effectively
- Makes sure your program complies with legal requirements, such as Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
- Addresses the diverse language needs of the community
- Identifies key communication touchpoints like report cards, parent-teacher conferences, and emergency notifications
This proactive, organized approach saves time, money, and stress, while making sure every family feels informed and included. Before the school year gets underway, review or develop your language access plan to confirm it is meeting the needs of all students and families.
2. Train new teachers and administrators and plan ongoing training for all staff
Effective language access requires that every staff member—from first-year teachers to admin assistants to seasoned professionals—knows how to overcome communication barriers with LEP families. Before the start of each school year, train staff on available language resources and how to use them.
Your language access training should include these key areas:
- When and how to request an interpreter
- How to request and work with translated materials like report cards, forms, and notices
- How to make language access requests, including using language access portals.
- Recognizing cultural differences that may affect communication
- Legal obligations, including compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act
- How to handle key touchpoints such as parent-teacher conferences, disciplinary meetings, and emergencies
But it doesn’t stop there. Ongoing training for all staff is equally important. As language needs evolve, legislation changes, and new technologies or services become available, staff should be equipped to adapt. Regular training sessions help everyone stay current with language access solutions.
3. Provide translated welcome materials for parents and families
The start of the school year is a crucial time to set the tone for communication with LEP families. One of the most effective ways to do this is by providing translated welcome materials. These resources should not only introduce families to the school but also inform them about the language access services available.
Examples of key materials to translate include:
- Welcome letters from the principal outlining the school’s goals and how parents can get involved
- School calendars with important dates like back-to-school nights, parent-teacher conferences, and holidays
- Emergency contact forms and instructions for updating contact information
- Information on language services, such as how to request an interpreter for meetings or how to access translated documents
- Student handbooks covering policies on attendance, behavior, and academic expectations
These documents guide families through the school system and build a stronger connection to their child’s education. Schools can also improve the welcome experience by organizing orientation sessions for LEP families, with interpreters and translated materials available.
4. Seek new and engaging outreach strategies
Engaging LEP families often requires thinking outside the box. Beyond traditional methods, there are many ways to connect with families and provide the support they need. Here are a few ideas to consider:
- Create a multilingual communication hub on your school’s website for translated announcements, documents, and video tutorials.
- Partner with local community organizations to provide services like ESL classes or healthcare resources. Consider offering space at the school for them to host events.
- Ask families for input on potential partnerships and services they’d find most helpful.
These strategies not only make communication easier but also help build lasting trust and stronger connections with LEP families, showing them that your school is truly invested in their success.
5. Create mechanisms to gather feedback from families
To truly assess the effectiveness of your language access strategy, gathering feedback from LEP families is key. You can do this through:
- Multilingual surveys after key events like parent-teacher conferences
- Feedback forms following interactions involving interpreters or translated materials
- Informal check-ins at school events to gauge family experiences
6. Set up methods for tracking interactions and measuring success
Tracking your school’s interactions with LEP families is critical for maintaining effective communication, staying compliant with laws like Title VI, and securing important funding, such as Title I and Title III. Implementing a system to monitor these interactions helps schools identify service gaps, improve outreach, and demonstrate compliance with funding requirements.
An effective tracking system should:
- Record key engagements such as parent-teacher conferences, IEP meetings, discipline meetings, and emergency communications.
- Log language services used, including which language was requested, whether an interpreter was provided, and how successful the interaction was in meeting the family’s needs.
- Document follow-ups to confirm that concerns or questions raised by parents are addressed promptly.
- Monitor engagement levels, comparing how often LEP families participate in school activities, meetings, and events versus English-speaking families.
By keeping accurate records, schools can stay ahead of reporting obligations and improve communication with LEP families.
It’s impossible to track all of this data manually in an efficient manner. That’s why we created a tool called FamiliesLink, which allows schools to track communications, language access utilization, and family survey information all in one easy-to-use dashboard that integrates with tools like LinguistLink and Skyward.
By combining direct feedback from families with data on engagement and service usage, schools can fine-tune their language access strategy. Regular reviews of this information allow you to adjust your approach and demonstrate that you value the input and participation of LEP families, ultimately strengthening school-community relationships.
Ready to Strengthen Your School’s Language Access?
Communicating clearly and consistently with LEP families helps schools foster trust and support student success, ultimately creating a more inclusive and successful environment for everyone.
If your school needs assistance with implementing language access strategies, MindLink can help! We provide expert support with language access plans, professional interpretation, and translation through LinguistLink, as well as easy data tracking with FamiliesLink.
Let’s talk about how we can give you the tools LEP families need to thrive!