How to Use Data Reports
Directions on how to use the Data Reports—Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents (CMD).The Value of Translation Consortia
In meeting the requirements and expectations of state and federal laws, many districts want to reduce their translation workload while increasing the number of translations available to them.
The formation of translations consortia is one way to accomplish this aim. In a translations consortium, a district collaborates with other districts that have common needs for translations in particular languages, dividing up the translation responsibilities. For example, if Districts A, B, and C have a common need for translations in Somali—and these districts identify a common need for translations of notifications regarding field trip permissions, parent-teacher conferences, and lice inspection—then each district can develop translations for one topic area. District A might focus its translation resources on a field trip permission form template; District B could focus on a parent-teacher conference notification; and District C could use its resources on a lice inspection form. The resulting Somali translations would be shared among consortia members. Translations could be revised with local information such as contact names and meeting dates.
The CMD provides data reports by which districts and county offices can begin to identify districts and schools that have common needs for translations in specific languages. In addition to these reports, districts may need to consider more recent enrollment information for their schools, current trends of immigration into the local community, and similar factors. In this way, districts and schools may gain a more up-to-date indication of the likely language groups for which translations will be needed.