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Board approves additional $250,000 for translation/IEP services amid calls to hire in-house translators
Summary
Commissioner Wenzieden pressed staff to expedite hiring of translators after an unanticipated spike in IEP translation needs; board approved an additional $250,000 from the Public Instructional Fund (PIF) for contracts to cover the work pending civil-service hiring.
The San Francisco Unified School District board discussed and approved an additional $250,000 allocation for translation of Individualized Education Program (IEP) and special-education documents after a commissioner raised concerns about cost and procurement strategy.
Commissioner Wenzieden asked staff to confirm whether contracting was the most efficient method and said that the district had previously approved roughly $686,420 for translation services (including $81,000 in PEAf funds). Wenzieden urged staff to ‘‘expedite the civil-service process to hire the translators’’ and to avoid further high-dollar contracts if in-house hiring is feasible.
Staff and the superintendent told the board an analysis of options has been completed or is underway and that translators are being considered for hire. Despite the concerns, the board moved to approve the severed consent item (K21), authorizing the $250,000 allocation from the PIF to cover additional translation needs; a roll-call vote was recorded.
The discussion highlighted two operational points the board asked staff to follow up on: whether hiring in-house translators would be more cost-effective and how the district will manage surges in translation demand for IEPs and Special Education documents. The superintendent and staff were asked to report back on timelines and procurement choices.
Next steps: staff will provide further analysis about hiring versus contracting and expedite any internal civil-service steps where possible; the board will monitor follow-up reporting.
