Board tables KUDO translation-service decision, asks staff to test lower-cost options

The Prosser School District board voted to table a proposed translation-service contract with KUDO, an AI-driven simultaneous-translation platform, while staff explore lower-cost alternatives and pilot tests.

Staff presented KUDO as a platform that could provide live translation for board meetings and district events via a QR-code/listening model that lets participants choose a language and hear a translation on their own device. The board heard a demonstration in which a presenter spoke Spanish and staff listened to English output; staff described the translation quality as “very clear” though they acknowledged the test was limited to a salesperson demonstration rather than an independent bilingual listener.

Staff said carryover grant funds could pay for KUDO this year but likely not in future years, so the district would need to budget for ongoing costs if the service were adopted. The board and staff discussed existing no-cost or lower-cost tools — Google Meet transcription and translation, Microsoft transcription, Zoom AI/translation features and doing local tests with bilingual employees — and asked IT and staff to run tests to confirm dialect and accuracy for the district’s Spanish-speaking population.

One trustee suggested testing Google Translate or Zoom’s built-in options and having district bilingual staff test real-time translation before committing funds. Staff recommended a pilot and agreed to return with information on lower-cost choices, dialect accuracy and the estimated recurring cost of a full KUDO subscription (staff cited about $8,000 for board-meeting translation and higher for districtwide coverage). The board voted to table the KUDO contract to allow staff time for further evaluation.