Job Description

ABOUT US

The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is one of the leading school systems in Maryland and the nation. To learn more about us and our 2024 -2029 Strategic Plan, please visit our website and our careers page Join our award-winning workforce and make a difference in the lives of our students!

ABOUT THE APPLICATION PROCESS

Before you begin, please read the job posting below carefully including the Application Requirements specific to this position. Be sure your application reflects experience and education required to meet the minimum and any preferred qualifications listed. Our application guide includes detailed instructions to assist you. Once your application has been submitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes.

Please note that application submission will be available only through 11:59 PM on the date prior to the indicated end date. If no end date is indicated, the posting will remain open indefinitely

Job Posting End Date:

04-10-2026

Reminder: Current permanent and temporary employees must apply through the Jobs Hub in Workday, not the external career site.

Under the direction of the Language Access Supervisor, the Language Access Specialist leads the coordination and delivery of language access services across the district to ensure multilingual families haveequitableaccess to information and meaningful participation in their children’s education. This position oversees interpretation and translation services for schools and central offices, ensuringtimely,accurate, and legally compliant support for general education and Special Education communications, including IEP and 504 documents. The role develops and delivers training and professional learning for interpreters, translators, bilingual staff, and school-based personnel to strengthen language access practices across the district. This position supports the HCPSS mission and Strategic Plan by advancingequitablecommunication, strengthening partnerships with multilingual families, and continuously improving language access systems across the district.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

A combination of education and experience may be considered.

Education:

• Possession of aBachelor’s Degreefrom an accredited college or university.

Experience:

• Four years of experience providing language access services,interpretation,and translation coordination.

• One (1) year of experience supervising translators and interpreters.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate for this role will alsopossessa combination of theadditionalqualifications below. If youdon’tmeet every one of the preferred qualifications, we still encourage you to apply, as we welcome applications from candidates with diverse backgrounds and experiences.

• Bilingual (Spanish, Korean, or Chinese)

• Ten (10) yearsof progressively responsible experience in language access services, interpretationand translation coordination within a K–12 school system or public education environment.

• Experience coordinating interpretation and translation services, managing complex workflows, and supporting multilingual communication within a K–12 school system or public education environment.

• Experience developing and delivering training or professional learning related to language access servicesisdesirable.

• Experience working with Special Education processes, including Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans.

• Experience leading or coordinating language access programs or services in a complex organizational environment.

• Experience developing and delivering professional learning or training related to language access services.

• Experience supporting the design or improvement of interpreter scheduling systems or language access workflows.

• Experience designing and formatting multilingual communication materials and publications using Adobe InDesign.

ESSENTIAL POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES

Thebelow listis a summary of the functions of the job, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list of allpossible jobresponsibilities, tasks, and duties.

• Oversees and coordinates interpretation and translation services across multiple HCPSS offices, schools, and external partners to ensuretimely,accurate, and compliant fulfillment of language access requests.

• Oversees translations of districtwide documents, including general education, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), 504, and other Special Education-related documents, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

• Communicates with parents,staffand interpreters, sometimes in their native language, to address unresolved issues and concerns.

• Provides project support for the full translation lifecycle, directing workflow among Language Access Liaisons, temporary translators, proofreaders, and vendors.

• Operational lead for districtwide language access service delivery, assessment, training, and school support across the district.

• Develops and delivers professional learning, training, onboarding, and quality assurance for interpreters, translators, bilingual staff, and school-based personnel supporting language access services.

• Creates materials and manageslogisticsfor meetings,trainingand conferences.

• Supports continuous improvement for all aspects of language access and delivery through process evaluation, data review, and service assessments,identifyinggaps and recommending operational enhancements.

• Provides technicalassistanceand consultative support to schools and departments on best practices for language access, including serviceselection, compliance guidance, and escalation support for complex cases.

• Oversees department payroll, invoicing, equipment coordination, and budgetary reporting for Language Access Services.

• Works collaboratively with staff to ensure implementation of the HCPSS Strategic Plan priorities in communicating with parents and families.

ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

The below list is a summary of the knowledge, skills, and abilitiesrequiredfor success in this position, not an exhaustive or comprehensive list.

• Knowledge of language access laws, regulations, and best practices related to interpretation and translation services in educational settings. Knowledge of Special Education processes and terminology, including Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans, and the importance of providingequitablecommunication access for multilingual families.

• Knowledge of interpreter scheduling systems and experience supporting the design, configuration, and improvement of scheduling workflows used to coordinate language access services.

• Ability to coordinate and manage interpretation and translation services across multiple schools, departments, and external partners while ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and compliance with district and legal requirements.

• Ability to develop and deliver training and professional learning for interpreters, translators, bilingual staff, and school-based personnel, and to provide consultative support to staff on language access procedures and best practices.

• Strong organizational, project management, and problem-solving skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities,monitorworkflows, and implement process improvements in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to communicate effectively with parents, staff, interpreters, and community stakeholders, sometimes in their native language, and to resolve concerns with professionalism and cultural sensitivity.

• Proficiencyin the use of web-based scheduling systems, translation management tools, data tracking systems, and other technology used to coordinate language access services.

• Native or near-nativeproficiencyin Spanish, Korean, or Chinese withdemonstratedprofessional vocabulary and experience in interpretation and translation.
  

ADDITIONALREQUIREMENTS 

Working Hours

• The duty day for this position is8hours including aone-hourduty-free lunch.

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

Complete applications must besubmitted, and once your application has beensubmitted, you will not be able to add documentation or make any changes.Incomplete applications will not beconsideredResumes will not be accepted in lieu of a completed application.

SupplementalApplication Questions

This position requiresapplicants to provide responses to the below supplemental application questionstodeterminewhether you meet the minimum and preferred qualificationsPlease upload your responses in a separate file to thesupplemental application questionssection of the application.

1. Please describe your experience coordinatinglanguage access services,interpretation,and translation services, managing complex workflows, and supporting multilingual communication within a K–12 school system or public education environmentIf you gained this experience in anothercomplex organizationalenvironmentsuch as a hospital, state/local social or civil service office,etc.please citethe employer. If youdo not have this experience, pleaserespondN/A.

2. Please specify any languages you speak and your level of fluency/proficiencyin eachlanguagecitedusing the following scaleElementary, Limited Working, Professional Working, Full Professional, or Native/Bilingual)

3. Please describe yourexperience working with Special Education processes, includingIndividualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans

4. Please describe your experience developing and delivering training or professional learning related to language access services

5. Please describe your experience supporting the design or improvement of interpreter scheduling systems or language access workflows.

6. Please describeyourexperience designing and formatting multilingual communication materials and publications usinggraphic design software such asAdobe InDesign, Canva, Affinity, etcPleaseuse the following scale to rank your level ofexpertise Intern (student) to Junior (0–3 years), Intermediate/Mid-level (2–7 years), and Senior (5–7+ years).

SELECTIONCRITERIA

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be included in further evaluation.Interviews will be limited to those applicants who, in addition to meeting the basic requirements, have experience and education which most closely match thepositionqualifications and the needs of the school system.

Applicants maybe requiredto complete a skills assessment prior to or during the interview process.

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION

Compensation

This is a12-month per year position in the Howard County Education Association, Educational Support Professionals (HCEA-ESP) employee unit. The current salary rangefor this position is Grade 25on theTechnical Central Office and School Basedsalary scale, $87,280- $138,433 Step placement will bein accordance withthe salary procedures of the Howard County Public School System and the HCEA-ESP Master Agreement which considers relevant prior experience. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, this position is exempt from overtime.  

Telework Program

This position is eligible toparticipateafter the first 120 working days of employment. Telework schedules will be subject to approval anddeterminedby the department and/or supervisor. 

Retirement

Membership in the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA) pension plan is a mandatory condition of employment for all employees who meet the eligibility and membership criteria defined in the State Personnel and Pensions Article and the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR). A qualifying employee cannot reject membership, nor can an ineligible employeeelectmembership.The annualcontribution to the pension plan will be 7% of an employee’s annual salary

Benefits

HCPSS offers a comprehensive benefits packagefor eligible employees.Information aboutadditionalbenefits such as paid time off can be found in the negotiated agreementfor employees in this bargaining unit.

Pre-EmploymentRequirements

Professional references will be contacted prior to any offerofemployment. Recommended candidates willbe requiredtoprovide references from current and recent supervisors.

All employees, regular and temporary, must be fingerprinted, have a criminal background investigation completed, and successfully complete the Maryland Employment History Review,pursuant toSection 6-113.2 of the Education Article, Annotated Code of Maryland.In addition, some positions will requirecompletion of a physical examination and/or drug testing

Anyone offered employment isrequiredto provide proper identification and documentation of eligibility for employment in the United States. HCPSSparticipates in E-Verify anddoes not offer employee sponsorship.

For questionsregardingthis posting, please contactPhilip Wentt(philip_wentt@hcpss.org)ORhumanresources@hcpss.org

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

To request an accommodation during the application or interview process due to a documented disability, please email humanresources@hcpss.org

HCPSS celebrates diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees and applicants and prohibits discrimination, harassment, and retaliation of any kind. HCPSS is committed to the principle of equal employment opportunity for all employees in providing them with a work environment free of discrimination and harassment. All employment decisions at HCPSS are based on organizational needs, job requirements and individual qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion or belief, national, social or ethnic origin, sex (including pregnancy), age, physical, mental or sensory disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, marital, civil union or domestic partnership status, veteran status or present military service, family medical history or genetic information, family or parental status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.