A. Except as otherwise provided in this section, any person who functions as an educational interpreter in a public school shall have the interpersonal skills to work effectively and collaboratively with staff and students within the instructional setting as well as a comprehensive, general knowledge of academic subjects and current events, educational processes and organization, principles and practices of special education, aspects and issues of deaf culture, and have:

1. Completed an interpreter training program;

2. Attained a bachelor’s degree; or

3. Worked three (3) or more years in an area related to the field of deaf education.

B. In addition to the requirements of subsection A of this section, a person who functions as an educational interpreter in a public school shall attain one or more of the following:

1. Certification by the Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf (RID);

2. National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Level IV or better;

3. Quality Assurance Screening Test (QAST) Level III or better; or

4. A comparable level of proficiency.

It shall be desirable for an educational interpreter to hold either a bachelor’s or associate’s degree.

C. A person who has never worked as an educational interpreter in any public school, who meets the requirements as provided in subsection A of this section, who does not meet the requirements of subsection B of this section, and who has attained the Quality Assurance Screening Test (QAST) Level I or II, may be employed as an educational interpreter for up to three (3) years. The person shall not be eligible to be employed as an educational interpreter in any public school of this state after the third year until the person attains one of the proficiency levels as provided in subsection B of this section.

D. Any educational interpreter employed by a public school on the effective date of this act who does not meet the requirements of subsection B of this section shall be required to attain QAST Level I or a comparable level of proficiency by July 1, 2004. An educational interpreter shall have until July 1, 2006, to meet the requirements of subsections A and B of this section or a comparable level of proficiency.

Added by Laws 2002, c. 220, § 4, eff. July 1, 2002.