(1) The general assembly hereby finds that interpreting services in administrative units, state-operated programs, and approved facility schools for students who are deaf or hard of hearing need to be improved and that the absence of state standards for evaluating educational interpreters allows for inconsistencies in the delivery of educational information to students who are deaf or hard of hearing. The general assembly recognizes that educational interpreters in such educational settings must not only interpret the spoken word but must also convey concepts and facilitate the student's understanding of the educational material. The general assembly also finds that standards should be based on performance and should be developed with input from the deaf community and from persons involved in instructing deaf students. Therefore, the general assembly enacts this section for the purpose of developing appropriate standards for persons employed as educational interpreters in administrative units, state-operated programs, and approved facility schools. (2) For purposes of this section, "educational interpreter" means a person who uses sign language in an administrative unit, a state-operated program, or an approved facility school for purposes of facilitating communication between users and nonusers of sign language and who is fluent in the languages used by both deaf and nondeaf persons. (3) to (5) Repealed. (6) After review and study of the recommendations of the interpreter standards committee, the state board, on or before July 1, 1998, shall promulgate rules setting minimum standards for educational interpreters for the deaf employed by or in an administrative unit, a state-operated program, or an approved facility school. The state board may revise and amend such minimum standards as it deems necessary. The state board shall promulgate rules that set forth the documentation that a person seeking employment as an educational interpreter for the deaf must submit to the employing administrative unit, state-operated program, or approved facility school. (7) On or after July 1, 2000, in addition to any other requirements that an administrative unit, a state-operated program, or an approved facility school may establish, any person employed as an educational interpreter for deaf students on a full-time or part-time basis by or in an administrative unit, a state-operated program, or an approved facility school shall meet the minimum standards for educational interpreters for the deaf as established by rules of the state board.
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