The Language Group (TLG)

Language Access Services

Norfolk Public Schools is committed to ensuring that all families can communicate with their child's school in a language they understand. Through our partnership with The Language Group (TLG), interpretation and translation services are available at no cost for families with limited English proficiency (LEP).

What Families Should Know

Norfolk Public Schools provides language assistance services to help families participate fully in their child's education.

Language assistance is available for:

• Enrollment and registration
• School meetings
• Parent-teacher conferences
• Discipline matters
• Health and safety concerns
• IEP and 504 meetings
• Other school-related communications

Schools and offices may access The Language Group's services to communicate with families through:

• Telephone interpretation
• Video interpretation
• Written translation
• In-person interpretation

If you need language assistance, please inform your child's school or the appropriate school division office. Norfolk Public Schools will make reasonable efforts to provide interpretation and translation services in a timely manner.

Families should not be expected to provide their own interpreter for school-related matters. Students should not be used to interpret information involving academic progress, discipline, health and safety concerns, special education services, or other important school matters.

What Staff Should Know

All NPS schools and staff have access to TLG interpretation and translation services to ensure LEP families can communicate in a language they can understand. These services are provided free of charge to all LEP families and should be readily offered to create a welcoming climate and ensure adherence to federal civil rights laws.

How to Access The Language Group Services

On-Demand Phone Interpretation services are readily available at any time to support immediate communication needs. Each school or department has a unique PIN code to document location-specific usage.

Access your school’s account number and PIN code here: 

Over the Phone (OPI) Instruction Sheets by NPS School / Site / Department.

Video Interpretation services are available in one-hour increments, either on-demand or scheduled in advance. For more information and steps to connect, please review the Video Remote Interpreting (VRI)  instructions.

In-person Interpretation services are available upon request and coordinated with The Language Group by the ESL Office. In-person interpretation services require a minimum booking of two hours. Requests for in-person interpretation must be made at least 72 hours in advance.

Document translation services are also available upon request and coordinated by the ESL Office. Standard turnaround time for a document translation is typically 3-5 business days. Document translation requests should be limited to communications intended for parents and guardians. The Language Group may not be used to translate student instructional materials, classroom assignments, or assessments.

Need Additional Help?

If you have any questions or need assistance with The Language Group services, please contact the ESL Office.