Educational Interpreters Resources

Frequently Asked Questions 

(Most recent CHECKLIST for American Sign Language Interpreters from the MN Department of Education)

1. Question: My school district provides remote mentoring using webcams.  The law states mentoring has to be “on-site”...isn’t that violation of the law?

Answer: No, it isn’t a violation of the law.  As long as the web-cam and other equipment are on-site for the interpreter to use, the school district is in compliance.

2. Question: The QA law states a pre-certified interpreter must receive “weekly” mentoring. That means once every calendar week, right?

Answer: Although many districts do provide their interpreters weekly mentoring based on the regular calendar week, the state defines one week only counting business days.  That means Monday-Friday plus Monday and Tuesday equal one week. 

3. Question:  Do I need to be mentored if I earned between a 3.5-3.9 on my EIPA test? 

Answer: Yes.  Until you have a 4.0 or above, or hold RID NIC, you need to be mentored weekly.

4. Question: What should I do if I believe the school district I work for isn’t in compliance of the QA law?

Answer: Click HERE to see a step by step guide.

5. Question: Does the QA Law apply to post-secondary institutions also? Or only K-12 schools?

Answer: Each post-secondary institution has their own requirements for interpreters. The QA law does not apply.

6. Question: Should I apply for my provisional certificate before I get hired at a school.

Answer: No, provisional certificates should only be applied for after the interpreter is hired at a school district.

7. Question: How long is a typical provisional certificate extension?

Answer: Extensions vary in length depending on the individual  circumstances of each interpreter/transliterator.  They can range from a couple of months, to a year, or more.  One of the most important part of the extension paperwork is the “rationale”.  The state wants to see evidence of the effort and hard work the interpreter has done along with any factors that may have impacted their ability to earn certification within the two years.  The state ultimately decides how long of an extension they will grant.

8. Question: Can I file for a 2nd extension of my provisional certificate?

Answer: No, the provisional certificate extension is a one time opportunity.

9. Question: None of these FAQ answers address my specific situation.  How do I find answers?

Answer: Some answers can be resolved by following the same steps as THIS guide.  Please contact Mary Cashman-Bakken from the Minnesota Department of Education at Mary.Cashman-Bakken@state.mn.us if you have any further questions.