What are the responsibilities and job description for the Educational Interpreter (2025-2026) position at Burke County Schools?
EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETER/TRANSLITERATOR (HEARING IMPAIRED)
Overview
The educational interpreter’s primary function is to facilitate communication among students who are deaf or hard of hearing, their hearing peers, and teachers/school staff within the educational setting. Other duties that may be performed when they do not interfere with interpreting include tutoring, participation in meetings, and being an active member of the school’s educational team.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide expressive and voice interpreting for students who are deaf or hard of hearing in general education classes (this may include American Sign Language, Manually Coded English, Pidgin Signed English, and/or Oral Interpreting).
- Under the direction of the classroom teacher, provide tutoring/review services as necessary for students who are deaf or hard of hearing when it does not interfere with the task of interpreting.
- Participate in educational team activities. Activities may include Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings and/or informal staffings. Input from the interpreter may involve information regarding communication strategies and progress related to the child’s use of the interpreter
- Serve as a liaison between the students who are deaf or hard of hearing, hearing peers, staff, and faculty members.
- Assist in providing in-services to hearing students, staff, and parents as requested by the Teacher of the Deaf regarding sign language, deafness, Deaf culture, interpreting, and consumer education.
- Provide interpreting for school functions outside of the classroom, extracurricular activities, and parent meetings during regular school hours.
- Maintain confidentiality regarding the student being served and other students in the school setting.
Knowledge, Skills, AND Abilities:
- Competence in the communication modality used by the student who is deaf and hard of hearing.
- Competence in English grammar, including syntax, spelling, and punctuation. Working knowledge of typical language development
- Strong interpersonal skills in relating to students and adults.
- Understanding of deafness and its impact on language development.
- Skill in expressive transliterating/interpreting at a rate commensurate with conversational speech and class lectures.
- Adequate reverse interpreting/transliterating skills while maintaining the integrity of the message.
- Ability to work as part of an Individualized Education Program team.
- EIPA score of 3.5 or a current score of 3.3 with expectations to retest and obtain a score of 3.5 by July 1, 2025.
MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE Educational Interpreters with a high school diploma who have received a passing score of 3.5 or higher on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment Educational Interpreters with an associate’s degree in Educational Interpreting from an accredited program who have received a passing score of 3.5 or higher on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment Educational Interpreters with a bachelor’s degree in Educational Interpreting from an accredited program who have received a passing score of 3.5 or higher on the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment Educational Interpreters must annually complete 15 hours of training related to interpreting approved by the local education agency.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENT Possession of a valid driver’s license issued by the state of North Carolina. Must maintain a safe driving record. An employee assigned to this position is designated as Category “A.” Category “A” employees are governed by Guilford County Schools Policy GA and Administrative Procedure GA-P, “Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace,” which spells out specific drug testing requirements, procedures, and consequences of positive alcohol or drug tests or arrest for alleged violation of any alcohol or drug-related offense. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS
REQUIRED TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate various automated office machines, including computers, typewriters, calculators, printers, copiers, etc. Sedentary work usually involves sitting but may involve walking or standing for periods. Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or composite characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from apparent standards) of data, people, or things. Interpersonal Communications: Requires the ability to speak and signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments, and directions from