Certified Status for Educational Interpreters
who pass the EIPA at level 4.0 and above

RID TO GRANT CERTIFIED MEMBER STATUS TO EIPA-EVALUATED
INTERPRETERS - APPOINTS MEMBERS TO EDUCATIONAL INTERPRETING COMMITTEE

The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) will recognize individuals who have passed the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) written and performance tests at the level of 4.0 or higher as certified members of the association. RID has also appointed the first members of the Educational Interpreting Committee to address a number of issues related to this initiative as well as a host of issues related to educational interpreting that need to be addressed by the association.

According to RID President Angela Jones "Interpreters in the educational setting have been organizationally disenfranchised since their introduction into the profession, and it is time to recognize their importance to the profession and to the Deaf community."

In June, the RID EIPA Task Force, composed of 10 individuals, with representation from the RID Board, psychometric consulting firm CASTLE Worldwide, and the RID National Office carefully examined the EIPA interpreting assessment tools and found that the tools meet psychometric test development and standards.

"I am thrilled to see that FINALLY, after all these years, RID is getting serious about the educational interpreter. I feel that we have neglected this important segment of our organization for far too long. My only regret is that RID did not get involved in this particular area 30 years ago, " commented RID Past President James Stangarone (1976-1980).

The task force specifically recommended that RID grant certified member status to individuals who have passed the EIPA written test and who have scored a 4.0 or higher on the EIPA performance test (score contingent on psychometric verification); that RID review and revise, as necessary, the policies of the Certification Council, the Certification Maintenance Program, and the Ethical Practice Systems to assure integration of K-12 interpreters into the association; ensure that individuals who are granted certified member status maintain the requirements of certified members including RID membership fees, certification maintenance, and ethical practices; that RID review the EIPA tools regularly to ensure that psychometric standards for test development and validity and reliability are maintained; that RID establish an educational interpreter committee of no less than five individuals that minimally includes a K-12 interpreter, a parent, a person familiar with educational practices and special education law, and a consumer of K-12 interpreting to assure appropriate identification and resolution of educational interpreting issues; and that RID implement these recommendations no later than December 31, 2006.

On June 22, 2006, the RID Board passed the following motion: 2006.24 To accept the recommendation of the Educational Interpreter Performance (EIPA) Review Task Force recognizing the validity and reliability of the EIPA testing instruments and to grant certified member status to those who pass the EIPA tests at specified levels, providing the RID Board of Directors receives confirmation from CASTLE Worldwide that both the written and performance EIPA tests are well constructed and that both examinations meet the standards required by RID. "The result of this review is that the EIPA written and performance examinations meet the current standards of validity and reliability for use in the RID certification process,." Stated CASTLE Worldwide Psychometrician James Penny, Ph.D.

The confirmation from the psychometric consultants was received, and on August 25, 2006, the RID Board voted to accept in totality the recommendation of the task force. The national office of RID will begin efforts immediately to implement the actions necessary to fulfill this directive from the board. Further details and applications will soon be available from the national office and on the RID web site at www.rid.org.

From a large pool of excellent applicants, RID has extended invitations to the following individuals to be on the new Educational Interpreting Committee: D'Mita Boyd, Pam Brodie, Susan Brown, Kim Corwin, Liz Hill, Dr. Bern Jones, Lisa Schaefermeyer, and Donna Snyder. The committee will begin work immediately. One of their first tasks will be to address member concerns, as summarized by the task force, regarding the EIPA as well as recommendations from CASTLE Worldwide with regard to ongoing monitoring of the EIPA instruments pertaining to validity and reliability.

The committee will initially focus on the mechanics of including EIPA interpreters in RID programs as well as identify and establish action plans for K-12 interpreter benefits in the association. In the future, the committee will expand its scope of focus to include post-secondary educational interpreters. The committee will make contacts with members of RID to work on special projects and will collaborate with entities and organizations such as the Educational Interpreters and Transliterators of RID special interest group, affiliate chapters, the National Alliance of Black Interpreters, the National Association of the Deaf, and Mano a Mano, and others.