Many school districts throughout Allegheny County are becoming increasingly diverse. Some populations, like Somali Bantu, are well established in the region. While families from Mexico and Central America represent fast growing groups.
All schools are federally required to provide translation and interpretation services for families, which is becoming more challenging given the linguistic diversity, and strain on school resources.
In Pittsburgh Public Schools, nearly 50 different languages and dialects are spoken, which accounts for thousands of students and families.
Darling Garcia Saldana is the translation and interpretation manager for the district. She’s tasked with receiving and coordinating thousands of requests that come from parents, teachers, and schools — all within a tight budget. “Not having the resources should not be an excuse,” Saldana said. “We don’t have the resources? Let’s become creative.”
Read the full article here: https://www.wesa.fm/post/how-school-districts-are-grappling-translation-services-increasingly-diverse-populations?fbclid=IwAR2qoRXdTy4XQnUqUdbIzn8AIi1ujNo3lv7FvN34smKmbNIU42SCMz5Qvhk