Translation and Interpretation Services for Families

Translation is the transfer of the meaning of a text from one language to another, while interpretation facilitates the oral communication between two or more people who do not speak the same language.

The district will translate information that includes but is not limited to the following types of documents provided to families:

1. Information about special education matters

2. Report cards and other academic progress reports

3. Information about discipline and the disciplinary process

4. Requests for parent/guardian permission for student participation in district/school-sponsored programs and activities

5. Promotional materials and announcements distributed to students that contain information about school and district activities for which notice is needed to participate in such activities (e.g., testing, extracurriculars, activities requiring an application, parent-teacher conferences, open houses)

6. Parent/guardian handbooks

7. Documents concerning enrollment or registration

8. Documents concerning academic options and planning

9. Documents concerning screening procedures requesting a student’s language background, a parent/guardian’s preferred language of communication, and the process for refusing all or only specific EL services

10. Information related to public health and safety

11. Any written information describing the rights and responsibilities of parents/guardians or students and the benefits and services available to parents/guardians and students.

SFUSD provides translation services in Arabic, Chinese, Filipino (Tagalog), Samoan, Spanish, and Vietnamese (plus English). If you need translation of a SFUSD document into a language other than the languages listed, please complete one of the forms in your home language (on the bottom of this webpage) or inform a staff or administrator at your child's school site.

Families can request interpretation services for school-wide events if 15% or more of the student population in the school share a common language.

Parents can request translation and interpretation services by submitting a request form in their home language (links at the bottom of the page). We highly recommend parents contact the teachers or administrators at their children's school for translation and interpretation services.

To request translation (written) services of documents related to your child's education:

Note that the documents must be issued by SFUSD.

• عربى - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Translation
• 中文 - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Translation
• English - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Translation
• Filipino Tagalog - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Translation
• Samoan - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Translation
• Español - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Translation
• Tiếng Việt - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Translation

To request interpretation (oral) service for SFUSD school site or district wide meetings, such as ELAC, SST, family workshops, IEP meetings:

Note that the meetings must be organized by SFUSD, hosted/facilitated by SFUSD employees.

• عربى - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Interpretation
• 中文 - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Interpretation
• English - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Interpretation
• Filipino Tagalog - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Interpretation
• Samoan - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Interpretation
• Español - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Interpretation
• Tiếng Việt - Primarily Language Assistance Request form: Interpretation