Information Regarding the Educational Interpreter Registry

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH), announces new requirements for registration of sign language interpreters who work in educational settings.

What is the Educational Interpreter Registry?

The Educational Interpreter Registry is a database of educational interpreters who are qualified to work in educational settings in Massachusetts. This database is maintained by the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (MCDHH).

Who needs to register?

Any staff members providing educational interpreting for students who are deaf or hard of hearing in schools, including private special education schools or collaborative schools, must be registered through the MCDHH.

This includes personnel who may not be identified as interpreters but who provide sign language support services in an educational setting, including paraprofessionals, signing aides, tutors, language or communication facilitators, and others.

How do Educational Interpreters register?

To register with MCDHH, please go to mass.gov/mcdhh and follow the link for "Educational Interpreter Registration," or contact Diane Stains at 774-930-4042 or edu.terp@massmail.state.ma.us

How will schools/administrators know that an interpreter is registered?

Educational interpreters will receive documentation of registration and must provide this documentation to school districts, private special education schools, or collaborative schools.

Employers will be able to access a database of educational interpreters on the MCDHH website.

Please note: Beginning in the school year 2007-8, the Department of Education's Program Quality Assurance Department, as part of its monitoring activity, will review evidence of registration of educational interpreters employed in educational settings.

Additional Information

For additional information regarding educational interpreting please go to: http://www.classroominterpreting.org/.

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