Newsfeeds
This Newsfeed webpage includes a summary of a current issue in education (C9), which reflects my knowledge of the intersection between K-12 educational and school interpreting topics.
School Interpreting Series (SIS) Standards
SIS Competency 9
Cultivate an understanding of current educational issues that continually elevate the current practices, interactions, and contributions of a school interpreter as a Related Service Provider on the educational team and within the educational system. (Knowledge & Skill)
The following newsfeeds include short summaries in various communication methods (ASL, spoken English, and written English) that name the current issue in education, illustrate it, and explain how it intersects with my role as a school interpreter and others on the educational team. This webpage demonstrates my competence in understanding a current issue in education. In the following newsfeed, I name the current issue in education, illustrate the issue, and explain how the issue intersects with the role of a school interpreter and others on the educational team. This page includes a newsfeed for:
This page also includes an overarching reflection.
Varying Qualifications for Interpreters in Education
Fall 2024
One current issue that deaf students and the field of educational interpreting face is the lack of standardization in state requirements for school interpreters. With each state able to set its own standards, there is variation across the board that can negatively impact deaf students' access to education. State requirements vary in the required scores on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA). For example, five states require a 3.0 score, twenty-two states require a 3.5 score, fourteen states require a 4.0 score, four states have regulations but do not use the EIPA, and five states plus DC don’t have regulations (NAIE, 2023). For reference, an interpreter who scores a 3.0 on the assessment is recommended by the EIPA raters to interpret only in supervised situations. At the same time, they continue to further their education in interpreting. The EIPA raters say an interpreter who scores a 4.0 on the assessment is competent and skilled enough to navigate most classroom conversations (EIPA, n.d.). The NAIE Professional Guidelines for Interpreting in Educational Settings state that qualified school interpreters should score a 4.0 on the EIPA and pass the EIPA written exam (NAIE, 2019).
This issue impacts the interpreter’s role because it means that underqualified interpreters are being allowed into classrooms in states without regulations or with set requirements that are too low. If an interpreter is working in the classroom without being qualified, they will provide inadequate communication access to students and will be unable to fulfill their role as an interpreter and their responsibilities, including maintaining ethical practice. Unfortunately, to unsuspecting hearing administrators, an underqualified interpreter can look the same as a qualified one. This could also impact the educational team that the interpreter is working with. Teachers and administrators may believe the student is getting access to their education, while another reason the student’s scores and grades are not where they need to be may be at play. For example, if a student fails a test and the teacher believes that they have had access to all of the information during the lesson, the teacher could think that the student doesn’t care, has a learning disability impacting their learning, or that they did not work hard enough to prepare for a test. However, in reality, in this scenario, the student did not receive adequate interpreting services or access to class materials, which made this the most significant barrier to the student’s success.
Additionally, it can impact the other interpreters on the team. If a student moves up a grade level and starts working with a new and very qualified interpreter, it might be expected that the student is at a specific skill level. The qualified interpreter will likely interpret at a level appropriate to their developmental and academic age and skill level. However, if the reality is that the interpreter in the student’s previous classroom was unqualified and the teacher just passed the student along, the interpretations provided by the qualified interpreter at the current grade level would not be effective. I am sure that a qualified interpreter will notice this and make adjustments to match the student’s actual skill level better. But of course, this could take time, and adjustments to the student’s IEP and support services will likely be needed. If there were greater standardization across states regarding requirements for school interpreters, students would be better served and their abilities and skills more accurately represented to other members of the educational team. It would mean that more deaf students across the country would have access to education and a better chance of staying on track with their peers' development. Underqualified interpreters who are allowed into classrooms because of inadequate skill requirements do significant harm to students' social, emotional, and academic learning journeys.
References
Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment. (n.d.). Profile of skills at each rating level of the EIPA. Classroom Interpreting.
https://cdn.aglty.io/classroom-interpreting/resources/ProfileOfSkillsAtEachRatingLevelOfTheEIPA.pdf
National Association of Interpreters in Education. (2019). Professional guidelines for interpreting in educational settings (1st ed.).
National Association of Interpreters in Education (2023, March 31). State requirements for educational interpreters.
https://naiedu.org/state-standards/
Additional Learning/Notes:
Boys Town National Research Hospital Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment. (2021). Glossary of EIPA terminology.
https://cdn.aglty.io/classroom-interpreting/resources/GlossaryOfEIPATerminology.pdf
Classroom Interpreting. (2024). Resources. https://www.classroominterpreting.org/resources
Johnson, L.J., Taylor, M.M., Schick, B., Brown, S., Bolster, L., & Girardin, E.G. (2023). Complexities in educational interpreting: An
investigation into patterns of practice (2nd Ed.). Interpreting Consolidated.
Dismantling the Department of Education:
Notes on the Impact on Deaf and Hard of Hearing Students
Spring 2025
In a time when public schools and their resources are already stretched thin, Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) students and their education could be at even more risk due to changes being proposed by the new administration. President Trump ran his campaign on the platform of dismantling the Department of Education and leaving education to each state to determine its own system (Trump, n.d.). As his administration starts out its second term, Trump is expected to sign an executive order and ask Congress to dismantle the Department of Education (Rahman, 2025). While this could create a lasting impact on the education of all students, it could hit DHH students and students with other disabilities even harder (Walker, 2025).
The National Education Association reported in 2025 that 15% of public school students (about 7.5 million students) receive support through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This accounts for about $15 million, covering services for these students that would likely be spread across different state agencies, making it more difficult for all students who need support services actually to receive them (Walker, 2025). Another proposed cut by the Trump Administration would be to Title I funding, which supports high-poverty schools. This could also lead schools to cut related service professionals who are essential to the education of DHH students (Walker, 2024). This could mean that DHH educational programs in schools could lose the funding that they rely on to provide teachers of the Deaf, interpreters, speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and other related service providers.
As a school interpreter working within the system, this could have a major impact. If budgets are cut, schools may be forced to reduce personnel. This could mean that fewer interpreters are in place to support the educational access of DHH students. It could also mean that teachers of the Deaf and their positions in the school could be eliminated, and that DHH students would be placed in general special education classrooms. This would put significant strain on the staff currently supporting DHH students and most likely impact the quality of the education they receive. These proposed changes could also make it more difficult for a school interpreter to encourage positive, healthy identity development and to honor the student's intersectionalities. Interpreters could become overwhelmed and have less bandwidth to get to know each student and understand what best fits their individual needs. Additionally, budget cuts could lead to a shortage of Deaf role models (in positions such as Teacher of the Deaf or instructional aide) in schools. This could negatively impact DHH students’ ability to create positive Deaf identities, which, in turn, could inhibit their learning, development, and achievement (Wu & Grant, 2020).
As Walker stated in 2021, disability is shaped more by barriers created by society than the actual limitations a person with a disability has. These impending changes to the overall system in which I will work as a school interpreter could create additional barriers for the students I will serve. Keeping current with new policies that impact public schools is imperative as I prepare to become a school interpreter. Changing approaches, providing excellent communication access with fewer resources, and being open to more creative ways to support students are all things I will continue to think about.
References
Rahman, K. (2025, February 4). Is Donald Trump dismantling the Department of Education? What to know. Newsweek.
https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-dismantling-department-education-2025776
Trump Vance 2025. (n.d.). Agenda 47. https://www.donaldjtrump.com/platform
Walker, N. (2021). Neuroqueer Heresies: Notes on the neurodiversity paradigm: Autistic empowerment, and postnormal
possibilities. Autonomous Press.
Walker, T. (2024, October 4). How project 2025 would devastate public education. NEA Today. https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-
news-articles/how-project-2025-would-devastate-public-education
Walker, T. (2025, February 4). How dismantling the Department of Education would harm students. NEA Today.
Wu C. & Grant N. C.(2020). Deaf identities: Exploring new frontiers. Intersectionality-Beyond the individual: A look into cultural
identity development of deaf and hard of hearing children of multicultural “hearing” families. Oxford University Press.
The current political climate is one that is divisive and decisions regarding these policies are ever evolving. It is important to remain informed and up to date with changes as they unfold. For further learning, please consider the following resources:
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https://www.cnn.com/2025/01/31/politics/trump-policy-project-2025-executive-orders-invs/index.html
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https://www.nad.org to keep up with current positon statements from the National Association of the Deaf
Additional Considerations for Deaf Plus Students
Spring 2025
As school interpreters, it is important to tailor our approach to each student so that the access we provide fits their individual needs. A "one size fits all" approach is dangerous and could risk the DHH student missing major pieces of their education. This is especially important if the DHH student has additional physical, cognitive, or learning disabilities. DHH students with additional disabilities are called Deaf Plus students. The spoken English newsfeed below provides a brief overview of special considerations interpreters must take into account when working with Deaf Plus students.
Video Transcript:
"A 2021 article by Hands and Voices reported that in 2005, Gallaudet published research that showed 30 to 40% of deaf children have an additional disability. The 2021 article by Hands and Voices updates this number to be between 40% and 60% in 2021. The term for people who are deaf and have an additional disability is Deaf Plus. Unfortunately, there's limited research and there are limited resources available to support deaf students in our current school system who are Deaf Plus. For example, as interpreters, we are not trained by default in our programs to know how to interpret for students with other developmental disabilities. We talk about the fact that Deaf Plus students exist, but we don't talk about how we should adjust our approach to best support them in their communication access and their learning goals. In a similar vein, it's rare to find Teachers of the Deaf to be fully trained to support a deaf or hard of hearing student who also has cerebral palsy.
Children experiencing deafness and additional disabilities can have a harder time getting a solid diagnosis. For example, maybe a student is aware that they are deaf, but they don't know that they have another developmental disability. That diagnosis comes later or vice versa. They might know that a deaf student has cerebral palsy, but they might not be aware that the child is also deaf. This can become problematic because it can prevent successful language acquisition and really make it difficult for that student to develop socially and emotionally at the appropriate times. Hands of Voices emphasizes the importance of the education team for each of these students to take an approach that is specific to that child
and where they are currently at. They say that parents should focus on what their child can do rather than what they can't do, and this is an appropriate perspective for all members of the educational team to have. By focusing on what the child can do instead of what they can't, we can help build positive self-image for the Deaf Plus student, as well as make sure that their education plans, their IEPs, and their goals are individualized and attainable.
It can be difficult to find these kinds of supports because deaf and hard of hearing service providers are trained to support deaf and hard of hearing students, but they don't necessarily have the additional training to support students with other disabilities. This could mean that it's necessary to bring in an additional team member or two and really work with them to make sure that the support provided is effective and helpful to the Deaf Plus child. For example, on an IEP team, you might have an interpreter already there, a speech-language pathologist, but if the child also has ADHD, you might need to bring in a psychologist to assist in evaluation and goal setting to really make sure that the team is supporting the full child and not just their deafness, or not just their ADHD, but supporting the child as a whole. Another important thing for parents and other members of the education team to be aware of is that having other Deaf Plus adults and children in that child's life as role models is very important. This promotes the child's social and emotional development.
Ultimately, there needs to be more research and more training available so that school interpreters and other educational team members are able to support these children just as they are and meet them where they are to achieve their learning goals. Thanks!"
References
Beams, D. (n.d.) Communication considerations A to Z: Deaf plus. Hands and Voices.
Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Parent to Parent Committee. (2021). A community of support: Connecting families of children who are deaf or
hard of hearing plus (DHH Plus) with resources and support). Hands and Voices.
Gallaudet Research Institute (2005, December). Regional and National Summary Report of Data from the 2004 – 2005 Annual Survey of Deaf and
Hard of Hearing Children and Youth. Gallaudet Research Institute, Gallaudet University.
The Endeavor. (2011). What is deaf plus. American Society for Deaf Children.
This newsfeed serves as a brief overview of additional considerations for interpreters working with Deaf Plus students. This is an incredibly nuanced and individualized topic as each Deaf Plus student should be met and supported where they are at. As new research continues to come out, it is important to keep up with new data and potential approaches. For further learning, please consider the following resources:
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Lawson, H. (2021). Educational interpreters: Facilitating communication or facilitating education? In Winston, E. A., & Fitzmaurice, S. B. (Eds.), Advances in educational interpreting (pp. 245-265). Gallaudet University Press.
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From the International Electronic Journal of Elementary Education: https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1272602.pdf
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Position Statement from the American Academy of Pediatrics: https://www.jcih.org/JCIH-2007-Position-Statement-Supplement.pdf
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To see if your state has a Bill of Rights for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, visit: https://www.nad.org/resources/education/bill-of-rights-for-deaf-and-hard-of-hearing-children/
Stem Cell Research and Deafness
Fall 2025
School interpreters must stay up to date on the latest research affecting the Deaf community, as it may ultimately impact the students we work with. Similar to the discourse surrounding Cochlear Implants when they first became approved and started to be used more widely, stem cell research as it pertains to deafness has been a widely discussed and controversial topic as of late. As many medical professionals consider this a promising treatment for deafness, the Deaf community offers a different perspective that champions their culture and language.
New research, such as that announced in early 2024 by the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Company, has yielded positive results, including hearing restoration after stem cell injection into the cochlear nerve of a genetically deaf child (Eli Lilly and Company, 2024). This is just one example of preliminary research that has led medical professionals to believe that this could be a promising path for deaf individuals in the future to restore hearing. Medical professionals who hold this perspective, the pathological perspective, view deafness as a disease that should be cured to improve the quality of people's lives. Medical professionals who saw deafness in this light also likely wanted to use Cochlear Implants to nearly completely cure deafness when they first arrived on the scene, making the conversations around stem cell research similar to those the community had before (Cooper, 2019).
Alternatively, the Deaf community sees this research as a potential threat to their language and culture. If deaf children are born to hearing parents (as most are), and those hearing parents are provided with information that is only rooted in the pathological perspective, they are not receiving complete information about the other avenues available for their child. Often, Deaf educators or advocates are not included on the care team of deaf children (Kilgore, 2019). If parents make these decisions for their deaf children without considering the language and culture that they belong to, the negative stereotypes about what it means to be d/Deaf will be perpetuated. Eventually, a culture that has grown to be beautiful and proud would have to fight even harder than it already does to validate its existence.
School interpreters will work with students who come from a variety of backgrounds. As members of the IEP and education team, interpreters should know where a student comes from and what interventions they have experienced, including whether they've received or attempted stem cell therapies. This can and should influence an interpreter's approach for their work with that student as well as the goals that are included in their IEP. By keeping up with the latest technologies and research, interpreters can be best prepared to work with any student that comes their way. Interpreters should also be ready to advocate for a student's visual access to communication and information, provided it is successful and effective for that particular student.
For more information, please see a conversation I had with an interpreting colleague regarding the subject. We examine different viewpoints on the issue and discuss the long-term implications of participating in stem cell therapy for a child. Please see the full English interview with captions below, or a summary of our discussion in English here.
My Recommendation:
Because this topic is nuanced and many people have strong opinions, it is important to examine it from multiple perspectives. As we discussed in class, below are the different perspectives and resources I chose to represent the discourse I found in the field and the community.
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Burke, T. B. (2017, March 2). Gene therapy: A threat to the Deaf community? Impact Ethics. https://impactethics.ca/2017/03/02/gene-therapy-a-threat-to-the-deaf-community
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Perspective: Teresa Blankmeyer Burke is a Deaf Associate Professor of Philosophy at Gallaudet, writing on a forum dedicated to discussion of ethics in health care and health policy.
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Takeaway: Beyond safety and effectiveness, there are serious concerns about bodily autonomy, identity formation, and cultural preservation within the Deaf community that need to be considered before stem cell therapies can be deemed ethical.
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Overview: While research and medicine have value, when the outcomes have such a large impact on a cultural community, sensitivity must be shown. There is a fear that if hearing parents are given the opportunity to “fix” their deaf children through stem cell therapies, the autonomy of the deaf child will be taken away, and that decision is irreversible. This could be problematic if the child grows up and wants to identify more deeply with the Deaf community. This is another way that hearing society can discredit the validity of the Deaf community and Deaf culture and push hearing-centric views.
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Cord Blood Registry. (2024, July 23). Grace’s first gift: How one family is taking on hearing loss [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wp-yVFwsh3c
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Perspective: The video is produced by Cord Blood Registry, which is an organization that preserves umbilical cord blood and tissue to save stem cells for research and potential future use. The video focuses on the Huber family, whose child, Grace, experienced improved hearing after receiving stem cell therapy. Also included in the video are the Baumgartners: Dr. James, a neurosurgeon and research scientist, and Linda, a listening and spoken language specialist.
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Takeaway: Hearing loss can prevent a child from reaching their full potential, but there is hope with medical advancements. By planning ahead and using tools like cord blood stem cells, what once seemed impossible to cure — like hearing loss — can now be improved thanks to advances in stem cell therapy.
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Overview: Stem cell therapy, although still under research, shows promising results in improving hearing. By taking the action to preserve newborn stem cells and then deciding to allow them to be used to restore hearing, parents are making a responsible decision to ensure they are giving their children every opportunity for success. This medical approach, if the research continues to be as promising as the case presented here, is the way to provide a child with access to language and speech.
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Putz, K. (n.d.). Spotlight on stem cell research: Mixed feelings. Hands & Voices.
https://handsandvoices.org/articles/research/v15-3_stemcells.htm
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Perspective: The article is written by a mother who has experienced going from hard of hearing to deaf. She grew up trying to hide signs that she had hearing loss and then learned to embrace Deaf culture and sign language when she became deaf at nineteen. She has many Deaf and hard of hearing family members, including her children, due to a genetic condition.
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Takeaway: The broad use of stem cell therapy, while it was something that she herself may have wanted in the past, could erase pieces of the beautiful diversity that exists in our world.
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Overview: Putz acknowledges that her own experiences give a unique perspective to the issue at hand. As she was a child and embarrassed to recognize that she had hearing loss, she could see how families or children in that position could want to participate in these trials. However, when she was a young adult and introduced to the beauty of ASL and the Deaf community, she learned about a world waiting for her, and she couldn't imagine her life had she never had the opportunity to be part of it. In thinking of all of the Deaf and hard of hearing people she has met over the years, she thinks her life would be truly changed if they all had been hearing because of undergoing the stem cell treatments. She cites mixed feelings, but ends the article agreeing with her daughter's perspective that if deaf people didn't exist, it would be sad.
At the end of the day, it is imperative that school interpreters stay up to date with current research and issues in the field. It is our job to provide unbiased services to students and consumers, regardless of their backgrounds (medical or otherwise), so while we might have our own thoughts on these controversial topics, we mustn't let them influence our interpretations.
References
Cooper, A. (2019). Hear me out: Hearing each other for the first time: The implications of cochlear implant activation. Missouri Medicine, 116(6), 469-
471. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6913847/
Eli Lilly and Company. (2024, January 23). Positive phase 1/2 clinical trial data for an investigational gene therapy for genetic hearing loss to be
presented at the association for research in otolaryngology. https://investor.lilly.com/node/50201/pdf
Kilgore, T. (2019). Exploring the cochlear implant controversy: The role of and experience with Deaf culture for parents of pediatric cochlear implant
users. Ursidae: The Undergraduate Research Journal at the University of Northern Colorado, 5(2). https://digscholarship.unco.edu/urj/vol5/iss2/4
Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools
Fall 2025
From 2004 to 2016, Miguel Luna Perez, a deaf student, attended Sturgis Public Schools in Michigan. Court filings state that he was never provided a qualified interpreter during his 12 years in the district, causing language deprivation, even as the district told his parents he was doing well. In 2016, a psychologist concluded that this deprivation resulted from the district’s negligence and that, with earlier access to language, Perez likely could have attended college rather than receiving only a certificate of completion instead of a diploma (The Daily Moth, 2023; RID & NAIE, 2023).
The situation involves violations of both the ADA and IDEA. Perez had already settled the IDEA claim, and the Supreme Court case addressed only the ADA issue. Sturgis argued the suit should be dismissed because Perez had not exhausted the full process of IDEA remedies. The Court instead considered whether he could seek financial compensation under the ADA. On March 21, 2023, it unanimously ruled in his favor, holding that students with disabilities do not need to exhaust all IDEA procedures before bringing an ADA claim. Unlike IDEA, which provides services and supports, the ADA allows students and families to seek monetary compensation (Modan & Arundel, 2023; RID & NAIE, 2023).
This case is significant because it highlights the serious risks DHH students face when unqualified interpreters are used or when interpreting services are denied entirely. It also brought national attention to the rights of students with disabilities (Johnson et al., 2023). From a school interpreter’s perspective, this underscores the ethical obligation to prevent language deprivation by maintaining high professional standards. In Washington, this includes meeting the minimum requirement of a 4.0 on the EIPA, as well as pursuing ongoing professional development, advanced certification, and adherence to national best-practice guidelines, such as those outlined by NAIE (2025). The case reinforces the need for interpreters to advocate for consistent national standards so all DHH students have equitable access to qualified educational interpreting.
This case is equally important for the entire educational team. It serves as a reminder of the legal and ethical responsibilities under IDEA and the ADA, as well as the necessity of interpreters participating meaningfully in IEP development and implementation (Shipman, 2023). Complacency in serving DHH students can lead to long-term linguistic and academic harm, and learning from the systemic failures in this case strengthens my resolve to continually deepen my skills to be an effective practitioner. While the Supreme Court cannot restore the years of lost language access Perez experienced, its ruling—affirming families’ ability to seek monetary compensation under the ADA—empowers families and encourages educators, including interpreters, to uphold the highest standards of service. Ultimately, this decision should motivate educational teams to collaborate more intentionally, ensure compliance with federal laws, and prioritize practices that protect the linguistic and educational rights of DHH students.
References
Johnson, L. J., Taylor, M. M., Schick, B. S., Brown, S., Bolster, L., & Girardin, E. G. (2023). Complexities in educational interpreting: An
investigation into patterns of Practice (2nd ed.). Interpreting Consolidated.
Modan, N., & Arundel, K. (2023, March 21). Supreme Court rules against district in Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools special ed case. K-12 Dive.
https://www.k12dive.com/news/Supreme-Court-Perez-Sturgis-special-education/645589/
National Association of Interpreters in Education [NAIE]. (2025). Washington: Standards for permanent credential. https://naiedu.org/washington/
Shipman & Goodwin LLP. (2023). Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools: Supreme Court narrows IDEA exhaustion requirements.
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., & National Association of Interpreters in Education. (2023, May 18). RID/NAIE joint position statement on
Perez v. Sturgis County Schools System. https://www.rid.org/rid-naie-joint-position-statement-perez-v-sturgis/
The Daily Moth. (2023, January 23). Supreme Court hears arguments on case involving deaf student [Video]. YouTube.
Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools
Fall 2025
From 2004 to 2016, Miguel Luna Perez, a deaf student, attended Sturgis Public Schools in Michigan. Court filings state that he was never provided a qualified interpreter during his 12 years in the district, causing language deprivation, even as the district told his parents he was doing well. In 2016, a psychologist concluded that this deprivation resulted from the district’s negligence and that, with earlier access to language, Perez likely could have attended college rather than receiving only a certificate of completion instead of a diploma (The Daily Moth, 2023; RID & NAIE, 2023).
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The situation involves violations of both the ADA and IDEA. Perez had already settled the IDEA claim, and the Supreme Court case addressed only the ADA issue. Sturgis argued the suit should be dismissed because Perez had not exhausted the full process of IDEA remedies. The Court instead considered whether he could seek financial compensation under the ADA. On March 21, 2023, it unanimously ruled in his favor, holding that students with disabilities do not need to exhaust all IDEA procedures before bringing an ADA claim. Unlike IDEA, which provides services and supports, the ADA allows students and families to seek monetary compensation (Modan & Arundel, 2023; RID & NAIE, 2023).
This case is significant because it highlights the serious risks DHH students face when unqualified interpreters are used or when interpreting services are denied entirely. It also brought national attention to the rights of students with disabilities (Johnson et al., 2023). From a school interpreter’s perspective, this underscores the ethical obligation to prevent language deprivation by maintaining high professional standards. In Washington, this includes meeting the minimum requirement of a 4.0 on the EIPA, as well as pursuing ongoing professional development, advanced certification, and adherence to national best-practice guidelines, such as those outlined by NAIE (2025). The case reinforces the need for interpreters to advocate for consistent national standards so all DHH students have equitable access to qualified educational interpreting.
This case is equally important for the entire educational team. It serves as a reminder of the legal and ethical responsibilities under IDEA and the ADA, as well as the necessity of interpreters participating meaningfully in IEP development and implementation (Shipman, 2023). Complacency in serving DHH students can lead to long-term linguistic and academic harm, and learning from the systemic failures in this case strengthens my resolve to continually deepen my skills to be an effective practitioner. While the Supreme Court cannot restore the years of lost language access Perez experienced, its ruling—affirming families’ ability to seek monetary compensation under the ADA—empowers families and encourages educators, including interpreters, to uphold the highest standards of service. Ultimately, this decision should motivate educational teams to collaborate more intentionally, ensure compliance with federal laws, and prioritize practices that protect the linguistic and educational rights of DHH students.
My recommendation:
Members of the IEP team must work together to ensure that each student receiving IEP services receives a high-quality, free and appropriate public education (FAPE). Through the collaboration, team members can hold each other accountable as they work together to support students toward reaching their IEP goals.
For additional learning:
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The official opinion from the Supreme Court:
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Luna Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools. 598 U.S. 142. (2023). https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/22pdf/21-887_k53m.pdf
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Amicus Curiae Brief from American Association of School Administrators:
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Luna Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools. (2022, December 16). Brief amicus curiae of American Association of School Administrators. Thompson and Horton, LLP. https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/21/21-887/250190/20221216131602103_Perez%20v.%20Sturgis%20Public%20Schools%20AASA%20Amicus%20Brief.pdf
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Original K-12 Dive Article Detailing the Case:
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Modan, N. (2022, October 12). SCOTUS case could change special ed dispute resolution, settlement processes. K-12 Dive. https://www.k12dive.com/news/scotus-case-could-change-special-ed-dispute-resolution-settlement-processe/633937/
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More Information about Language Deprivation from the National Association of the Deaf:
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National Association of the Deaf. (2025). Implication of language deprivation for young deaf, deafblind, deafdisabled, and hearing children. https://www.nad.org/implications-of-language-deprivation-for-young-deaf-deafblind-deafdisabled-and-hard-of-hearing-children/
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References
Johnson, L. J., Taylor, M. M., Schick, B. S., Brown, S., Bolster, L., & Girardin, E. G. (2023). Complexities in educational interpreting: An
investigation into patterns of Practice (2nd ed.). Interpreting Consolidated.
Modan, N., & Arundel, K. (2023, March 21). Supreme Court rules against district in Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools special ed case. K-12 Dive.
https://www.k12dive.com/news/Supreme-Court-Perez-Sturgis-special-education/645589/
National Association of Interpreters in Education [NAIE]. (2025). Washington: Standards for permanent credential. https://naiedu.org/washington/
Shipman & Goodwin LLP. (2023). Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools: Supreme Court narrows IDEA exhaustion requirements.
Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc., & National Association of Interpreters in Education. (2023, May 18). RID/NAIE joint position statement on
Perez v. Sturgis County Schools System. https://www.rid.org/rid-naie-joint-position-statement-perez-v-sturgis/
The Daily Moth. (2023, January 23). Supreme Court hears arguments on case involving deaf student [Video]. YouTube.
Overarching Reflection
Fall 2024 Reflection: In preparing the first section of the newsfeed, my content was reviewed by a peer and the instructors. This process was interesting because one piece of feedback said the work could use more expansion, and the other said it could benefit from condensing the information. This created a conflict for me as I looked to revise my work before publishing it on this site, because I appreciate and respect both perspectives. In the end, I made minor adjustments to the content to add clarity, but I didn't add or condense the information. In reviewing the guidelines for the newsfeed portion of the website, I felt that my piece, while a bit long, met the criteria. Because it is such an important issue in the field right now, I thought it was essential to describe it with examples. By providing statistics on state requirements and the capabilities of interpreters at each EIPA score level, the issue is better understood by other members of the education team. The problem could have been written with fewer examples and less explanation if the intended audience were just interpreters. However, since we needed to involve other members of the education team, further explanation seems valuable and justified.
Through the process of creating this article for my newsfeed, I was stretched in my ability not only to present the information concisely but also to decide how to implement the feedback provided to me. Usually, I do my best to implement all feedback, but with the two pieces conflicting, I had to decide how to move forward. This made me rely on what I wanted to achieve with this post and I ultimately went with my gut for the final product. In writing about this topic, I was reminded of how important the issue is. I was reinspired to do what I can to not only become a qualified interpreter myself, but also to spread awareness of the issue among others in the field.
I look forward to continuing to keep up with this issue through furthering my research. For the next newsfeed post, I am going to push myself even further to provide quality information concisely.
Spring 2025 Reflection: It is interesting to look back at my fall semester reflection because I faced the same challenges when creating the two artifacts added this semester. Being concise in my work, both in writing and in speaking, has always been difficult for me. In writing the second newsfeed about the potential dismantling of the Department of Education, I was particularly concerned about avoiding bias. This is a topic I feel very strongly about, and I thought I really had to overexplain the examples I used. In posting the newsfeed on this page, I tried to cut it down in length, but I struggled because it all felt important. Eventually, I decided to post it, even though it was longer than the rubric allowed. Because it is such an important topic, I wanted to provide a piece that felt complete. Overall, this topic helped me face some of my fears about the proposed changes by the current administration by seeking the facts. It reminded me of the importance of looking at the facts, forming my own opinions, and approaching my life as an informed practitioner and citizen. In writing this newsfeed, I found myself feeling really passionate about policy and how future changes could impact the Deaf community and the interpreting profession. I'm not sure how this will manifest in the future. In the meantime, I will look for opportunities to be a strong ally to the Deaf community, especially in policy and legislation.
In creating the spoken English newsfeed, I found it a bit easier to keep my information concise. My main difficulty in creating the spoken English newsfeed was ensuring that everything I said made sense. When I do things like present or speak in front of people, I've never been one to write out a full script. I usually make a few notes for myself, then give my presentation and adjust based on the audience's reaction to ensure it is understood. I look for nods or looks of confusion to gauge how the information is landing. While filming the newsfeed, there was no one to interact with to see if what I was saying made sense. In the end, I just had to do my best to communicate clearly and accept that if it made sense to me but not others, I would get that feedback after turning the assignment in. Overall, it seemed to go over well, but it reminded me that, when interpreting, I won't have visual cues from consumers to see if they understand me. In the classroom, I may be interpreting while the student is looking away or doing something else, or they might not be someone who gives much visual feedback. This means that I will need to work on trusting myself to present information as clearly as possible and to know that, if I am not being clear, I have the skills and tools to work with others to adjust or clarify how I present it. I think the underlying feeling behind this spoken English newsfeed was rooted in my perfectionism. I wanted to say everything as perfectly as possible the first time, so people wouldn't see me make mistakes or I wouldn't embarrass myself. Miscommunications happen and are part of being human, so I will have to work on being alright with making mistakes and repairing them as I need to.
Fall 2025 Reflection: This fall, I added two newsfeeds, both with topics that are very important to the field. The first focused on a more controversial topic in the community: the application of stem cell research. The second focused on a legal case that made it all the way to the Supreme Court, which showcased the dangers of language deprivation and also brought an essential decision down that provides students with disabilities the opportunity to seek monetary damages under the ADA. While at first glance these topics may seem unrelated to school interpreting, they both represent essential considerations for school interpreters.
Although stem cell research is still in its infancy, it is quite possible that throughout my career, I will work with students who have undergone stem cell procedures, or I will work within a community that is handling the impact of the pathological view of deafness, manifesting itself in the latest attempt to cure hearing loss. It will be vital that I keep up to date with the latest research and advancements in this topic so that I can be best prepared to support children who may be impacted by the procedure and who may require interpreting services. Additionally, I need to stay informed about the perspectives of the Deaf community so I can be a proper ally and support their efforts to preserve their language and culture.
The Supreme Court case emphasizes the importance of the entire education team being up to date on legal requirements for serving disabled students. As a future school interpreter, I must understand my legal obligations to ensure compliance with the ADA and IDEA. Ethically, I want to be the practitioner who always provides services that are above and beyond, so that the students I work with have the best possible access to their education. However, I always need to make sure I am following the law. The case also reminds me that it is crucial to stay up to date on current events in special education. New legislation or court rulings will inform my practice and how I interact with the school system as a whole. Keeping informed is imperative to maintaining my role as a responsible practitioner.
OpenAI. (2025). Images generated by ChatGPT [AI-generated image]. Not publicly available.
I am noticing a pattern in your reflections. It looks something like this: Here's what I aimed to do, here's why it was hard for me specifically, here's what I learned about me and my way of working through my challenges, and here's how I will not let "me" be a barrier to interpreting. It's great to be self-aware, but I caution you about painting yourself in a specific light for others who have not met you. You are glitter and sparkles; talent and grit; conscientious and determined. When you only high-light challenges, you rob your viewer of the chance to see the other side of the coin you bring (see list of happy adjectives in previous sentence). Try and focus your reflections on what you learned of the content and work and how that applies to the field and less on the personal work of loving who you are (because we already love you!)