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HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

 
2    WHEREAS, English Learners make up 10.3% of Illinois'
3student population; and
 
4    WHEREAS, Over the past two decades, the number of children
5in the United States living with immigrant parents grew 60% and
6accounted for 25% of children under the age of 18; and
 
7    WHEREAS, Immigrant families who speak a home language other
8than English should be considered to be powerful assets in
9their children's education and partners with a shared
10responsibility for student learning and achievement; and
 
11    WHEREAS, Research consistently demonstrates that family
12engagement is one of the most significant factors in supporting
13student academic success; and
 
14    WHEREAS, The State should help ensure that each school
15district is able to meet its obligations to provide equitable
16access for students and families of all linguistic backgrounds;
17and
 
18    WHEREAS, There are currently no professional certification
19standards for foreign language interpreters in public schools;
20and
 

 

 

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1    WHEREAS, Developing a training and certification program
2and establishing minimum standards for individuals providing
3foreign language interpretation services in schools will help
4students reach their full academic potential; therefore, be it
 
5    RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
6NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE
7SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that the Bilingual Advisory Task
8Force, created by House Joint Resolution 36 of the 99th General
9Assembly, shall also study the feasibility of professional
10certification standards for foreign language educational
11interpreters in public schools; and be it further
 
12    RESOLVED, That should the Task Force deem certification
13standards feasible, those certification standards shall help
14ensure that interpreters serving school districts have
15demonstrated the core competencies of fluency, methodology,
16and ethics of interpretation and translation; and be it further
 
17    RESOLVED, That if the Task Force determines that
18certification standards are needed, it shall recommend
19procedures for school districts pertaining to when and how to
20access a language interpreter; and be it further
 
21    RESOLVED, That the Task Force may examine the process for

 

 

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1certifying educational interpreters for students and parents
2who are deaf and may recommend a similar process for foreign
3language interpreters; and be it further
 
4    RESOLVED, That two additional members shall be added to the
5Task Force, to be appointed by the State Superintendent of
6Education, one of whom shall be the president of a community
7college, and one of whom shall be an assistant principal in the
8Chicago public schools; and be it further
 
9    RESOLVED, That the Task Force's deadline for submitting its
10findings and recommendations to the Governor and General
11Assembly is changed from December 15, 2015 to December 15,
122016, in order to give the Task Force adequate time to complete
13its work; and be it further
 
14    RESOLVED, That a copy of this resolution shall be
15transmitted to the State Superintendent of Education.