Sign Language Interpreter Quality in Idaho Schools:
A Position Paper
Prepared by the Educational Interpreter Interagency Consortium (EIIC)
Position Statement
According to recent results from the national K-12 assessment tool, 62 percent of Idaho’s
educational interpreters could not interpret 60 percent of classroom information. Idaho
needs minimum standards to guarantee equal access to classroom information.
Background
In 2004, Idaho employed sign language interpreters to serve approximately 90 deaf or
hard-of-hearing students throughout its 114 school districts (Idaho State Department of
Education, 2004). Beginning in the 1960s, more families began to choose the
mainstream environment for their children’s education needs; this gained added impetus
through the passage of Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act; PL 94-142, the
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and the No Child Left Behind Act.
Among the many factors that influence student success, there is a correlation between the
academic achievements of deaf students and the competency of their interpreters
(Odyssey, 2002; Schick, 2005; Winston, E., 2004; Ramsey, C., 1997). Despite this clear
relationship, many school districts hire individuals who lack necessary skills to
effectively interpret.
What is the Educational
Interpreter Performance
Assessment?
A grant from the State Department of
Education recently allowed a majority of
Idaho K-12 interpreters to receive a
nationally recognized skills assessment
called the Educational Interpreter
Performance Assessment (EIPA).
Figure 1. States requiring EIPA for minimum
standard (Modified from Schick, 2005).
The EIPA evaluates interpreting skills using a 0-5 Likert Scale, with 5 being the most
advanced. Scores from multiple evaluators are averaged to create an overall score (Boys
Town National Research Hospital, 2005). As Figure 1 illustrates, 20 states use the EIPA
as a minimum standard; an additional 10 states are in the process of adopting the EIPA