Portantino IEP Translation Bill Passes Senate Floor
For Immediate Release: June 1, 2023
Contact: Lerna Shirinian, (818) 409-0400
Portantino IEP Translation Bill Passes Senate Floor
Sacramento, California – Senate Bill 445, authored by Senator Anthony J. Portantino (D – Burbank), passed the Senate floor. The measure would address language barriers faced by parents in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process by requiring schools to provide families a properly translated IEP within 30 days.
“SB 445 ensures that parents will be able read and comprehend their children’s IEP to better be involved in their child’s academic life,” stated Senator Portantino. “Language barriers for parents are a hurdle that can and should be overcome. Parental engagement early in a child’s academic life is critical to helping districts provide necessary services for students to reach their potential and achieve success.”
The IEP process has many steps, can be overwhelming and intimating for parents and guardians who are not familiar with the process or terminology - especially, if that person’s native language is not English. Although, verbal translators are made available to parents, guardians, or educational right holders during IEP meetings, some terms in documents or processes may be lost in translation. LEAs are required to provide translated copies of the IEP, if requested. The problem occurs when the LEA does not provide the translated IEP in a timely manner or when the translated IEP has not been translated accurately and not in the proper dialect.
SB 445 would require local education agencies, upon request by a parent, to translate the completed IEP, as well as any revisions to the IEP, in the native language of the parent within 30 days of the request.. The bill would also require that translation of an IEP be by a qualified translator.
“We are thrilled that the IEP translation bill passed the Senate floor unanimously,” stated Gabriela M. Torres, Managing Attorney, Youth Practice Group. “Mandating a 30-day timeline for translating IEPs will allow all families meaningful participation and the ability to read and understand the IEP of their disabled child. Currently, families are put in the unfortunate predicament of having to sign a document they cannot truly understand or wait months. This can result in missed supports and services for disabled students. What this bill does is mandate what is already a federal requirement to provide a timely translation. We are very grateful for the support we have received so far from the California Legislature on this very important bill.”
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