Language Access Plan

More than 70 languages are spoken in Edina Public Schools. Spanish and Somali are the most common after English.

This Language Access Plan follows Minnesota Statute § 123B.32 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which require school districts to provide processes and procedures that effectively assist students and adults who communicate in a language other than English. This plan provides information about the language access tools, processes, and resources available for students, families, and staff in Edina Public Schools.

AI Translation Tools: Usage Guidelines

Appropriate Use Cases

AI translation tools should be limited to brief, non-vital translations only. These tools are suitable for:

• Quick understanding of simple sentences or short paragraphs
• Informal content, like newsletters or general information
• Non-critical communications where perfect accuracy is not essential
• Getting the general meaning of basic text

Critical Limitation

Never use AI translation tools for vital translations. Federal law requires schools to provide professional translation services for all vital information to Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents. Vital documents and communications include:

Educational Rights and Services

• Enrollment and registration materials
• Special education evaluations, IEP meetings, and related services
• English learner program notifications and services
• Gifted and talented program information
• Report cards and academic progress reports
• Student discipline policies and procedures
• Parent-teacher conference communications

Legal and Administrative Documents

• Grievance procedures and nondiscrimination notices
• Parent handbooks and school policies
• Permission forms for student activities
• Legal notices and official school communications
• Any document that affects a parent's ability to participate in their child's education

Why This Matters

AI translation applications have significant limitations:

• They translate primarily word-by-word rather than contextually
• Important nuances and cultural meanings are often lost
• Complex sentence structures may be misinterpreted
• Technical or specialized terminology may be incorrectly translated
• Context-dependent phrases may be translated literally rather than idiomatically

Legal Requirements for Schools

Under federal civil rights law, schools must:

• Provide effective language assistance to English Learner families
• Use appropriate and competent translators and interpreters
• Never rely on students, siblings, friends, or untrained school staff for translation
• Provide services that are free to parents
• Maintain confidentiality in all translated communications

Schools that use AI translation tools for vital communications may be violating federal law and parents' civil rights.

Staff Roles and Responsibilities

Edina Public Schools staff are responsible for ensuring meaningful and timely access to information in individuals' preferred languages. This includes principals, assistant principals, assistant directors, teachers, office staff, counselors, cultural liaisons, school nurses, district staff, and all other personnel.

Staff Training

Training to prepare staff to support multilingual families includes:

• In-person workshops
• Step-by-step guides
• New staff onboarding

Specialist Support

Edina Public Schools has designated roles to support multilingual families.

English Language Development (ELD) Professionals

Highly qualified, ELD licensed teachers provide multilingual learners additional instruction in English language development to ensure students can access grade-level content knowledge. Comprehensive support includes:

Specialized Instruction	Teach targeted lessons to strengthen multilingual learners’ English skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing.
Progress Monitoring	Monitor and report students’ language development and academic growth, ensuring their progress receives support and recognition.
Family Support	Help multilingual families navigate the school system by offering resources and guidance to reinforce learning at home.
Professional Learning	Provide teachers and school staff with strategies and resources to understand and meet the needs of multilingual learners more effectively.

Cultural Liaisons*

Edina Public Schools employs Cultural Liaisons to support our diverse community, helping families feel included and empowered to engage in their children’s education. Their work includes:

Facilitating Communication	Acting as a vital link between families and school staff, cultural liaisons ensure important information is shared effectively in the family's preferred language.
Supporting Multilingual Families	Cultural Liaisons partner with schools to support the needs of multilingual families. Cultural Liaisons foster a welcoming and inclusive environment where all families feel supported and connected.
Promoting Cultural Understanding	By educating school staff about cultural backgrounds and unique experiences of multilingual families, Cultural liaisons help create a more inclusive and culturally responsive school community.

*Cultural Liaisons are not professional interpreters or translators. In emergencies, a multilingual liaison may provide limited language support; however, this does not replace the use of the district’s interpretation and translation resources.

Language Access Communication

Edina Public Schools actively shares the Language Access Plan to ensure families and staff are aware and have the training and resources to use it effectively. 

Families

Language services are offered to families who indicate a preferred language other than English. Information about Language Services is shared with all families through newsletters, printed flyers, and the district website.

Staff

All staff receive training through professional development sessions, video tutorials, and detailed step-by-step guides.

Language Access Review

This policy will be reviewed annually by the department of educational equity and multilingual learner programming as part of the yearly Title III program evaluation process to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with evolving needs and best practices.