Job Description:

ASL Interpreter/Education Interpreter

Check our ASDB TEAMWORKS on our agency website and apply directly today! https://asdb.az.gov/teamworks/  

Arizona State School for the Deaf and the Blind
Thank you, for your interest in employment with the Arizona State Schools for the Deaf and the Blind. 

Employee Status: Limited time appointment 

Hours Per Week:  40 Hours   

Work Calendar:  10-Month 

Pay Rate:  $20.00/hr-$39.50/hr 

Other: EIPA of 3.5 or AZ Interpreter License B, General or Legal.   Travel Required.    

CLASS SUMMARY

Provides interpreting services in educational settings for deaf, hard of hearing, and deaf-blind students, under the student’s IEP(s). Matching the language use of students, their peers, and instructors where travel may be required to interpret in the educational setting, the interpreter utilizes the interpreting process to ensure that the student has access to communication in the class including incidental language situations and other environmental auditory information when appropriate; facilitates communication between peers and others in the environment as needed; clarifies information interpreted to the student within the classroom setting to aid in the understanding of lesson content.
 
Additionally, this position may participate as an IEP team member regarding language use and/or communication access; communicate with classroom teacher/appropriate educational personnel about the communication needs of the student(s) and the course subject matter regularly, and fulfill other responsibilities consistent with the policies and procedures of the host district(s) and/or ASDB.
 
**Educational Interpreter/Transition Technician** In addition to the essential duties of an Educational Interpreter, a staff member may also be assigned as vocational support and/or a “Transition Technician” (also known as “Career Path Technician”). The Educational Interpreter/Transition Technician will assist the student(s) individually in academic or vocational subjects as assigned by the IEP team under the supervision of the Lead Interpreter and/or Teacher of the Deaf/Hard of Hearing, or another appointed agency representative. This support may include tutoring student(s) regarding vocational content when not interpreting. Educational Interpreters in the CPT role may be required to also provide transportation to and/or from an Internship/CTE job or class, as well as provide the necessary on-site interpreting for the student(s).
           **Lead Educational Interpreter** In addition to the essential duties of an Educational Interpreter, the Lead Educational Interpreter (or Lead) may be responsible and held accountable to follow through with any disciplinary process to assist and correct any conduct not in accordance to ASDB policies and procedures; RID and NAIE Standards; and protocol set and followed by ASDB. The Lead is responsible for arranging and scheduling Educational Interpreters; assists in the interviewing and hiring of Educational Interpreters; collects and summarizes interpreting data for analysis; processes personnel documentation for hourly and contracted interpreters; assists in review and approval of invoicing for outside contracted services; maintain working relations between the agency and member district employees, and supports the Educational Interpreters as an IEP team member. The Lead will observe and provide feedback to staff including but not limited to classroom walk-through observations, and informal and/or formal evaluations, facilitate and/or arrange professional development opportunities for Educational Interpreters, and track annual progress of professional development maintenance. Additionally, the Lead is responsible for implementing an Improvement Plan for any staff member who has not met the basic expectations of the job and/or is under-performing, as evidenced by multiple documented areas to improve on their yearly evaluation, and they monitor and document the employees progress the duration of the Improvement Plan. In the case of site Motor Pool use, the Lead may keep track of mileage sheets and schedule oil changes, maintenance, and repairs with the Agency Transportation Department or coordinate with Transportation through contracted facilities.
 The position will be responsible for some or all of the listed duties and/or additional duties that occur from time to time.
 
TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE
Required:
High School Diploma or Equivalent
Previous experience working with children or adults in paid/voluntary positions in educational settings
 
Preferred:
Associate degree or higher in Interpreting, American Sign Language, and/or Deaf Studies related field
Prior experience as an Educational Interpreter
Experience in an educational setting
 
A minimum of twelve (12) hours of professional development is required annually by the agency's Educational Interpreters, regardless if minimum proficiencies have been met. These hours accrued can be a combination of agency-provided and community-based training. Staff members is responsible for gaining approval for professional development, and gathering and reporting documentation to the supervisor annually.
 
LICENSING/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS

• Must be able to pass FBI and State background check
• Defensive Driver Training Program to be completed by all agency personnel that drive on State business
• Show minimum proficiency in interpreting skills through one of the following: 1) Proof of a score of 3.5 or higher on the Education Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA), or 2) Valid RID/NAD/BEI certification including, CSC, CI, CT, CDI, SC:L, NIC (any variation), BEI (any variation), NAD (level 3 or higher)
• In the event that the Agency cannot find a candidate meeting the qualifications for minimum proficiency in interpreting skills, an individual may be hired or retained with lesser skills who has demonstrated proficiency in English and in ASL, by fulfilling the minimum degree requirement and a EIPA Pre-Hire Screening result indicating the candidate has "skills at or above the required level" rating. The person will have to be placed on a professional development plan, regardless of the pre-screening result as it does not indicate that the interpreter can meet the state's minimum requirement. This plan must include, 1) Proof of at least twenty-four (24) hours of training in interpreting for each year that a valid certification is not held or EIPA passing score of 3.5 or higher is not attained, and 2) Documentation of a plan for the individual to meet the required qualifications within three (3) years. If this plan is not met, but progress toward attainment is demonstrated, the supervisor can determine that the plan can be modified to include an intensive program up to one (1) additional year to meet the minimum proficiencies.
• **Lead Educational Interpreters are required to possess a minimum EIPA score of 4.0 and/or maintain a valid RID/NAD/BEI certification including, CSC, CI, CT, CDI, SC:L, NIC (any variation), BEI (any variation), NAD (level 3 or higher)

 
KNOWLEDGE OF

• Policies, procedures, and programs of the immediate work unit
• Principles and practices of administration and management
• Agency or program rules, regulations, and operating procedures
• Content in the classroom to be able to interpret concepts and vocabulary accurately and meaningfully
• Aware of meaning and application of appropriate techniques for non-verbal communication, using body language, gestures, cues, and facial expressions
• Various interpreting processing models, Deaf Culture & cultural diversity
• Written and spoken English and American Sign Language, including syntax, lexicon, prosody, and pragmatics
• RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC) for interpreters, National Association of Interpreters in Education (NAIE) Professional Guidelines for Interpreting in Educational Settings, and Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) Guidelines for Professional Conduct
• Educational resources, including agency assistive technology services and provisions, teacher referrals, interpreting services provided outside of educational settings, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)/ADA, and other community resources
• Individual Educational Program (IEP) process and standard procedures

 
DEMONSTRATED SKILL/ABILITY TO

• Demonstrates the following skills/abilities:
• Ability to organize, plan, and prepare to appropriately interpret daily classroom learning experiences
• Works independently, taking initiative in problem-solving
• Effectively demonstrate ethical decision-making, emphasizing confidentiality and only sharing assignment-related information as needed with the educational team
• Maintains effective communication with other members of the educational team
• Knows the role and responsibilities of each member of the educational team
• Incorporates feedback into work product
• Maintains professional development in line with expectations of the agency, and/or other licensing and certifying entities
• Works as part of a team, both with co-interpreters and with the educational team
• Understands and utilizes a variety of communication modes, conveying the message faithfully and accurately,
• Evaluate the receiver's comprehension of the interpretation, and adjust/modify the interpretation as needed
• Meets physical and mental demands of interpreting work.
• **Transition Technician/Educational Interpreter:  Tutor students, as determined by the IEP team and with proper training and supervision.

BENEFITS 
Benefit-eligible employees have a variety of choices for medical, dental, vision, short-term disability, supplemental, and dependent life insurance.  Offered plans provide exceptional value to our employees and their eligible dependents.   Employees have 31 days from effective date of hire to elected coverage.  Elected benefits could start as early as 2 weeks after hire. 
Benefit-eligible employees are automatically covered for basic life, non-smokers, accidental death and dismemberment, and seat belt insurance. 
Benefit-eligible employees are automatically enrolled in the State’s retirement plan and long-term disability (LTD) program.  Enrollment is mandatory and is subject to a 26-week waiting period before initial enrollment.  Employees may also choose to participate in a deferred compensation program to take advantage of tax-deferred retirement investments.  Benefit Options also offer Employee Self-Service, Wellness, Tuition Discount, Travel Reduction, Auto & Home Insurance and Purchase Discount Programs.  CONTACT INFORMATIONFor more information contact the Recruiter at: HumanResources.Recruitment@asdb.az.gov
Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter or an alternative format by contacting the Recruiter. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.
 
Arizona State Government is an EOE/ADA Reasonable Accommodation Employer.