LanguageLine provided comprehensive testing, training, and certification for Utica Community Schools' in-house interpreters, ensuring bilingual staff meet industry standards and regulatory requirements while supporting one of Michigan's most linguistically diverse school districts.
Empowering In-House Interpreters to Serve Diverse Communities
Utica Community Schools serves a remarkably diverse student population in Macomb County, Michigan. With over 42 languages spoken across the district, including Spanish, Arabic, Albanian, as well as languages from Middle Eastern, South Asian, and East Asian communities, the district's interpreters and linguists play a vital role in connecting families to educational opportunities.
As Utica has evolved into a multiethnic community with growing numbers of Hispanic/Latino, African, Asian, and refugee families, the need for qualified interpreters who can bridge not just language barriers but cultural ones has become essential.
In a diverse community like Utica Community Schools, interpreters provide an invaluable service to the district. The district is fortunate to have three linguists who help support communications in Albanian, Arabic, and Spanish.
The Challenge
- Ensure interpreter qualifications meet industry standards and compliance requirements
- Validate and enhance skills of existing bilingual staff
- Support diverse families navigating enrollment and educational systems
Utica Community Schools recognized that effective interpretation requires more than bilingual ability. It demands professional skills, cultural competency, and adherence to ethical standards. The district needed a way to assess their interpreters' current capabilities, validate their skills against industry benchmarks, and provide structured training that would elevate their practice. This was particularly critical given the complex needs of immigrant and refugee families adjusting to a new educational system and culture.
One key area that the linguists’ work touches on is enrollment. They are there in every step of the process offering guidance and support to non-English speaking families.
“For diverse families, the starting point for their educational journey is proper communication,” said Luljeta Guri, one of the district's interpreters.
How We Helped
- Comprehensive language proficiency testing
- Performance-based assessments
- Professional interpreter training
- Industry-recognized certification
- Ongoing skills development
LanguageLine's Testing & Training program provided Utica Community Schools with a complete pathway to certify their in-house interpreters in Albanian, Arabic, and Spanish.
Three interpreters—Guri, Aned Bazan, and Raad Tomika—completed a rigorous certification process. To obtain the certification they had to complete a six-hour online course going over the essentials of interpreting and three hours of instructor-led live sessions. The course covers skills such as attentive listening, dual-tasking, note-taking, memory development, and professional presentation and delivery.
The program assessed and developed critical interpreting competencies through validated oral language proficiency assessments and performance-based exams featuring role-plays, domain-specific scenarios, and ethics evaluations. The certification process used objective scoring rubrics and pre-defined passing thresholds to ensure results were reproducible and defensible for compliance purposes.
Upon successful completion, LanguageLine issued formal certification documentation that validated each interpreter's qualifications, language proficiency, and scope of practice.
This provided the district with the proof needed for regulatory compliance and quality assurance. Beyond initial certification, the program positioned Utica Community Schools to maintain high standards through periodic recertification and ongoing professional development, ensuring their interpreters continue to meet both district needs and industry expectations.
The Result
- Validated interpreter qualifications
- Enhanced professional skills
- Strengthened compliance posture
- Improved family support services
The certification of Guri, Bazan, and Tomika elevated Utica Community Schools' capacity to serve its linguistically diverse population with confidence and professionalism. The training refreshed industry-based knowledge, assessed current interpretation and translation skills, and benchmarked capabilities against industry standards.
The certified interpreters now serve families throughout the enrollment process and beyond. They understand the unique challenges faced by families balancing their cultural heritage with integration into American school systems.
"Working with a diverse population is enriching and challenging at the same time," Guri said. "People who come from a diverse culture bring with them life views and approaches that are unique and different. Along with those values they also bring a desire to fit into the U.S. culture. We as interpreters can relate to that."
Guri, Bazan, and Tomika break down the language barrier between students, their families, and learning. Now that they are certified, they are also equipped with validated skills and professional credentials that demonstrate their expertise.
What Our Client Said
"Going through the certification program helped with refreshing my industry-based knowledge, assessing the current level of my interpretation skills, and comparing it with the current industry standards. We are not mere translators; a machine can do that. We are people facilitating other people's communication."
-Luljeta Guri, Interpreter, Utica Community Schools
Let's Talk Solutions
Discover how LanguageLine's Testing & Training services can help you build a qualified team of in-house interpreters who meet industry standards and regulatory requirements.
Call us at (800) 752-6096 or visit our website to learn more about our testing and training programs: https://www.languageline.com/testing-training
