News

NEW YORK, NY September 29, 2006 —Seven months after a regulation was passed ensuring translation services for immigrant parents of New York City public school children, language assistance isn't always easy to find. That's the conclusion of a report by the New York Immigration Coalition and the group Advocates for Children.

REPORTER: The two groups visited 13 out of the city's 15 high school registration centers this fall. Daisy Avitia, who works on education policy for the New York Immigration Coalition, says basic documents weren't always available in other languages.

AVITIA: What we found a lot was that the front line staff, staff that interacted directly with parents, didn't have the translated materials however once we inquired with the supervisor or so forth they were able to dig out some translated materials mainly in Spanish and very few in other languages.

REPORTER: The city is supposed to translate its documents in 8 different languages other than English. The chancellor's office says its working with the groups to address their concerns, and that it is complying with the rules.

The Education Department also offers over-the-phone translation services in over 150 languages.