ASL Communication Procedures

Faribault Public Schools
Faribault, MN

ASL Interpreter and Communication Access Procedure

I. PURPOSE
Faribault Public Schools is committed to ensuring effective communication for all students, parents/guardians, and community members, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This procedure outlines how the district provides and coordinates ASL interpretation and other auxiliary aids for district-sponsored programs, services,and activities.

II. SCOPE
This procedure applies to:
A. All district schools, offices, and programs
B. Students who are deaf or hard of hearing
C. Parents/guardians and family members
D. Community members attending or participating in district-sponsored events
E. District staff responsible for planning events, meetings, or activities

III. DEFINITIONS
A. Qualified Interpreter:
An interpreter who can interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially, using any necessary specialized vocabulary, and using certified interpreters when necessary. 
B. Auxiliary Aids and Services:
May include ASL interpreters, tactile interpreters, CARTcaptioning, note-taking services, assistive listening systems, or other methods of ensuring effective communication.
C. District Accessibility Lead:
The staff member appointed at the District Office who supports the building administrative assistants with ASL accessibility training and ASL Accessibility questions.
D. Building Administrative Assistants:
An administrative assistant will be appointed at eachschool to coordinate accommodation requests at their school.

IV. RESPONSIBILITIES
A. FPS Staff
1. Inform families and the public of the availability of ASL interpreter services.
2. Include an accessibility statement on all event notices, invitations, and announcements.
3. Promptly forward interpreter requests to the building's administrative assistant.
4. Provide a minimum of three (3) weeks' notice for event‑related interpreter needs whenever possible.

B. Building Administrative Assistants
1. Serve as the primary contact for all interpreter and accessibility requests in their school.
2. Arrange for qualified interpreters or other auxiliary aids.
3. Maintain relationships with contracted interpreting agencies.
4. Confirm interpreter scheduling with the requesting staff and/or community member.
5. Ensure services are provided at no cost to the student, parent/guardian, or community member.
6. Maintain documentation of requests and services provided.

C. School Administrators
1. Ensure that staff follow this procedure.
2. Communicate early with the building's administrative assistant regarding large events or anticipated accessibility needs.

D. District Accessibility Lead
1. Provide a list of qualified ASL interpreters to the building's administrative assistants. Grow the pool of qualified ASL interpreters on the      list provided to the building administrative assistants.
2. Schedule ASL for district-wide events.
3. Maintain a log of all:
     a. Accommodation requests and complaints.
     b. Actions taken, accommodations offered, and employee involvement.
     c. Share this log in spreadsheet form with MDHR every six months.

V. INTERPRETER USE IN SPECIFIC SETTINGS
A. Parent/Guardian Meetings:
The district will provide interpreters upon request for:
     1. Parent‑teacher conferences
     2. IEP/504 meetings
     3. Enrollment or registration appointments
     4. Disciplinary meetings

B. Public and Community Events
Interpreters will be provided upon request for:
      1. Concerts, plays, and performances
      2. Athletic events
      3. Community Education classes
      4. School Board meetings
      5. Ceremonies and public forums

VI. BEST PRACTICES
The adapted practices shall also highlight the following best practices:
A. Where proactive language support exists for other languages, the District will continue its practice of providing the same level of support for American Sign Language (" ASL");

B: The District shall continue its practice of making reasonable efforts toward proactive planning to accommodate Deaf parents/caregivers, including scheduling ASL interpreters by default for major events where other language accommodations (e.g., Spanish-language interpretation) are being offered, and asking Deaf parents/caregivers to provide sufficient notice if they do not plan to attend these events;

C: For interactive events (e.g., meetings, back-to-school nights), the District shall hire one ASL interpreter per Deaf family unit, rather than requiring families to share an interpreter. Respondent may use one interpreter to interpret for multiple families at a single interactive event, so long as each family is provided with individual interpretation services at predetermined staggered times;

D: For non-interactive events, the District shall continue exploring live captioning and technology-based translation services where applicable and appropriate to the community member requesting accommodations;

E: The District  has identified an individual point of contact for Deaf parents/caregivers requesting accommodations for each of its school buildings, Respondent will post the identity of each building's accommodations contact person on each building's website and in each building's handbook, and, where practicable, will provide this contact information on any community-facing notices (e.g., flyers, email bulletins) addressing events within these buildings; and

F: The District shall make all reasonable efforts to streamline the accommodations process for parents/caregivers who request ASL interpretation or other hearing-disability-related accommodations, with the purpose of alleviating the burden on families with hearing disabilities to re-explain or re-request the same accommodations repeatedly, Reasonable efforts may include using a confidential CRM or similar database to identify and engage in proactive planning efforts for (a) district families who speak ASL at home; and (b) parents/caregivers with past or ongoing accommodation requests related to hearing disabilities.”

VII. PROHIBITED PRACTICES
Faribault Public Schools shall not:
       A. Require individuals to provide their own interpreter
       B. Rely on minor children to interpret
       C. Charge individuals for interpreter services
       D. Refuse requested services without offering effective alternatives

VII. CANCELLATIONS AND CHANGES
If an event or meeting is cancelled or rescheduled:
       A. Staff must notify the building administrative assistant immediately
       B. The building administrative assistant will cancel or adjust interpreter arrangements

VIII. STEPS IF ASL INTERPRETERS ARE UNAVAILABLE
If a qualified ASL interpreter is not available:
        A. The Accessibility Lead will explore alternative agencies or freelance interpreters.
        B. The Accessibility Lead will inform the requester of the status and discuss alternative auxiliary aids (e.g., CART captioning, assistive listening devices) to ensure effectivecommunication.
        C. Alternatives may only be used if they provide meaningful access and meet ADA/504 communication standards.

IX. PROCEDURES FOR DENYING REQUESTS OR PROVIDING ALTERNATIVES
The district may offer an alternative accommodation only if:
         A. The requested service would result in an undue administrative or financial burden (as defined by ADA Title II), and
         B. The Superintendent or designee has conducted and documented an individualized assessment.

X. COMMUNICATION AND PUBLIC NOTICE
The district will make information about interpreter services publicly available through:
         A. The district website
         B. Student handbooks
         C. Event notices and flyers for district or school-sponsored events
         D. Staff communication and training

XII. COMPLIANCE, REVIEW, AND STAFF CONDUCT
A. If you believe a discriminatory act has occurred or have concerns about how an accommodation request was handled, you may file a report with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights (MDHR) by visiting https://mn.gov/mdhr or calling 1-833-454-0148.

B. Failure to follow this procedure, including failure to forward requests, improper denial of services, or failure to provide required notice, may result in disciplinary action inaccordance with district policies and collective bargaining agreements.