See press release (Spanish) announcing the recent settlement agreement MHLAC and its legal partners reached to improve school communications and notice for parents with limited english proficiency and students at Holyoke Public Schools.

“Under the settlement agreement, Holyoke Public Schools (HPS) is implementing detailed
principles and procedures for providing interpretation and translation services to LEP parents and
guardians, and reporting on their efforts to attorneys with the Massachusetts Law Reform
Institute, Inc. (MLRI) and The Mental Health Legal Advisors Committee (MHLAC), an
affiliated agency of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, both of which are co-counsel in
this case.”

The principles and procedures stipulate that HPS is required to:
  • Conduct an annual home language survey to identify the language needs of parents and guardians of HPS students so that written and oral communications can be in a language the parent understands.
  • Post all documents on its website in English and Spanish that relate to education programs, opportunities, services, HPS sponsored or produced school activities, and any events to which the community is invited.
  • Provide any documents directed to all parents and guardians of students in both English and Spanish, including report cards and requests for parent permission for student participation in school activities.
  • Provide trained Spanish/English interpreters to LEP parents and guardians for scheduled parent-teacher conferences, special education meetings, meetings on discipline and other meetings or events that HPS sponsors or produces.
  • Provide interpretation and translation services to parents or guardians who are LEP and have students with disabilities, consistent with special education requirements.
  • Make reasonable efforts to provide interpretation and translation to LEP parents and guardians who speak a foreign language other than Spanish.