Language Access Plan
Blooming Prairie Public Schools
2025 - 2026
Communication with families in a language they can understand provides a foundation for students’ academic success and creates a welcoming school community. Blooming Prairie Public Schools is committed to communicating meaningfully with all families we serve to provide any and all school-related information and foster mutually beneficial, collaborative partnerships. This Language Access Plan is intended to mitigate language barriers so that families can make informed decisions in their children’s education.
Language Access Rights
If you are a parent or guardian of a student in public schools and your dominant language is not English, you have the following rights established by federal law:
- School districts must have a process for identifying your language needs.
- Schools must provide information in a language you understand.
- School districts must provide effective language assistance to you, such as by offering translated materials or a language interpreter.
- Schools must provide you with language assistance even if your child is proficient in English or you have some English proficiency.
- Schools must provide translation or interpretation from appropriate and competent individuals and may not rely on or ask students, siblings, friends, or untrained school staff to translate or interpret for you.
- Language assistance must be free to you.
Fact Sheet: Information for Limited English Proficient (LEP) Parents and Guardians and for Schools and School Districts that Communicate with Them
Language Identification Procedures
Blooming Prairie Public Schools will determine parent/guardian language needs through the following procedures:
- Enrollment Survey: Upon registration, parents/guardians will identify their preferred language and method of communication. This survey is translated into the following language(s), common in our community:
- English
- Spanish
Enrollment staff are trained in procedures for accessing qualified interpreters to help parents complete enrollment paperwork if needed.
- Student Information System: The preferred language and method of communication of parents/guardians will be visible to all staff in JMC.
- Preferred Language Lists: School secretaries will distribute preferred language lists to classroom teachers upon request.
- Teacher Communication: Teachers are encouraged to inquire about communication preferences in their own communication with families. An email to staff in the fall will encourage staff to connect with families about preferred language and method of communication.
Tools and Resources to Provide Language Access
See the Appendix for a list of language access resources.
School staff will use the following resources aimed at removing language barriers for families in our school community:
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Resource
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Description/Procedures
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When to Use
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TransAct ParentNotices
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TransACT provides written forms or notices required by ESSA, translated into: Spanish, Arabic, Hmong, Russian, Somali, Vietnamese, and Karen
All Minnesota districts and charter schools can utilize the TransACT website with free access. Individuals within the district can activate their free account at:
https://minnesota-doe.parentnotices.com
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- Required ESSA parent notifications
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Professional Document Translation
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Translated copies of district documents are available on the school website in the following languages:
To request document translation, contact Lauren Berglund at .
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- Formal documents requiring signature from parents
- Frequently circulated documents such as: registration and enrollment forms, student code of content, report cards, etc.
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Professional Interpreter
Working with Language Interpreters: Information for Teachers
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The [ELL Teacher – Lauren Berglund] maintains a list of qualified interpreters that can be contracted to provide language assistance.
Staff can request translation services by filling out the “Interpreter Request Form” at least two weeks in advance of the date the interpreter is needed. Fees for service are paid by the school/district with the interpreter paid as a vendor.
https://www.blossoms.k12.mn.us/page/3801
(Interpreter Request Form)
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- District-wide initiatives or meetings
- Parent/teacher conferences
- MTSS/Child Study/IEP Meetings
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Multilingual Staff
*Note: Students, siblings, friends, and untrained staff members are not considered qualified translators or interpreters, even if they are bilingual.
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Multilingual staff may be asked to provide language assistance if they are proficient in the target language, have knowledge of specialized terms or concepts needed for the task in both languages, and are trained in the role of an interpreter or translator*.
Since Spanish is prevalent in our school district, most of our school buildings have Spanish-speaking Parent Resource Assistants. These Bilingual Parent Resource Assistants play a vital role in helping families comprehend school policies, access educational resources, and engage in school activities. For instance, they may assist Spanish-speaking parents in filling out important forms, translating communication from the school, and facilitating communication between families and teachers during parent-teacher conferences.
Lauren Berglund – (507) 583-6615
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Communication Platform(s)
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School or classroom communication platforms often have capabilities to send messages in multiple languages. Blooming Prairie Public Schools encourages the use of Seesaw and Schoology for classroom communication.
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- Notification of upcoming events
- Newsletters
- Reminder texts to parents
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Dissemination
This plan will be published on the school/district website https://www.blossoms.k12.mn.us/page/3798 .
Our school district will take a multi-stakeholder approach to communicating with families about their language access rights and the resources available to them.
- Enrollment secretaries are responsible for providing all families with a copy of this Language Access Plan as part of the enrollment process.
- School principals will link the Language Access Plan in school-wide communications including newsletters and announcements. Principals are also responsible for sending communications in families’ preferred language, according to the preferred language list maintained by school secretaries.
- Classroom teachers will share the Language Access Plan in beginning-of-the-year communications. Classroom teachers are also responsible for sending communications in families’ preferred language, according to the preferred language list maintained by school secretaries.
- English Language Development staff, including Parent Resource Assistants will share language access information at all informational meetings held for families of multilingual students.
Training on the Language Access Plan is provided to all teachers at New Teacher Orientation, and is reviewed with staff annually by building principals in August during regularly scheduled professional development or staff meetings.
To request additional training or review procedures for effectively working with interpreters, staff should contact the district contract listed below, their school administrator, or building ELD teacher.
Continuous Improvement
This policy will be reviewed annually by Chris Staloch – Superintendent, Alison Mach – Associate Principal, Jacob Schwarz – Elementary Principal, John Worke – High School Principal, and Lauren Berglund – ELL Teacher to ensure its effectiveness and alignment with evolving needs and best practices.
District Contact
Lauren Berglund is available to answer questions regarding language access.
lberglund@blossoms.k12.mn.us
(507) 583 - 6615
For questions regarding language needs of specific students or families, contact your school’s [ELL Teacher, Lauren Berglund}.
Appendix: Language Access Resources
Please note that the inclusion of resources in this non-exhaustive list does not constitute an endorsement by Project MOMENTUM/Southeast Service Cooperative. These resources are provided for informational purposes only, and schools or districts are encouraged to conduct their own research and evaluation to determine the appropriateness and suitability of each resource for their specific needs and context.
Professional Document Translation Resources (Minnesota)
Professional Interpreter Resources (Minnesota)
Interpreter Training Resources
Telephone Interpretation Services
Some districts create their own databases of district-employed on-call interpreters. Examples include:
Communication Platforms with Multiple Languages
Have additional resources to share? Please contact Dr. Kendra Katnik at kkatnik@ssc.coop
Disclaimer: The contents of this resource were developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The Department does not mandate or prescribe practices, models, or other activities described or discussed in this document. The contents of this resource may contain examples of, adaptations of, and links to resources created and maintained by another public or private organization. The Department does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this outside information. The content of this publication does not necessarily represent the policy of the Department. This publication is not intended to represent the views or policy of, or be an endorsement of any views expressed or materials provided by, any Federal agency.
©2024 by the Southeast Service Cooperative
