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As much as teachers and parents wish it were otherwise, Latino children are less likely than their peers to succeed in the public school setting. One factor behind this is that their parents are unable to access the predominantly English school environment. Quality translation and interpretation can help integrate families into the public school system and shrink the achievement gap for Latino children in public schools. In California, only 28% of Latinos meet all of the college readiness criteria of the ACT, compared with 70% of white students. Hispanic students are almost twice as likely as their white peers to drop out before completing high school. It’s not that Latinos value education less than other ethnic groups. As a matter of fact, 67% of Hispanic parents say a parent can never be too involved in a child’s education, compared with 47% of white parents. The fact is, the English-only model of the public school system severely limits Latino parents' ability to be involved with their children’s schooling. This, in turn, limits the potential for Latino students to succeed. In a world of increasingly important test scores, it can be nearly impossible for limited English proficient (LEP) Latino parents to help their children with homework or even make sure all of their children’s assignments are getting done. Worksheets, writing prompts, and assignment reminders can be incomprehensible, to say nothing of informational material sent home to parents about school events, field-trips, and parent conferences. While children from English speaking households may rely on their parents to keep their education on track, many Latino children are forced to grow up early and carry the full weight of their educations themselves. According to federal law, public schools must provide all sent-home materials in any language spoken by more than 15 children. However, this law is rarely enforced because tracking every piece of paper sent home in schools statewide is incredibly challenging. It is then up to each public school to make education accessible by translating these materials, regardless of federal law enforcement. It is up to public schools to provide translation services to students, not out of fear of punishment but because it is crucial to student success. In order to shrink the achievement gap between white students and Latino students, all school materials must be provided in Spanish as well as English. Schools should also take care to include other, less prominent languages that might be present in schools like Vietnamese, Arabic, and Mandarin. At Avantpage, we believe that quality K-12 public education is a right that should be equally accessible to all. Not only does this mean engaging LEP students, it also means engaging and translating for their parents. Parents are a key piece of student success, and including them in their child’s education allows for greater student engagement by increasing parents' ability to support their students. This means LEP and immigrant families must have access to translation and interpretation services at their children’s public schools. Avantpage is experienced in educational translation and ready with the tools to help school districts make the transition to a more language-friendly model. If you want to start the process of creating a more inclusive school or district, call us today at (530) 750-2040 or request a free quote.

This election season many campaigns for politicians and ballot measures are looking at Asian Americans as a key voter group. The number of Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters almost doubled from 2 million in 2000 to 3.9 million in 2012. What’s more, almost half (47%) of AAPIs are not associated with a political party. With a presidential race as well as senate seats and many important ballot measures to be voted on in November’s election, Democrats and Republicans are investigating the best ways to target this key ethnic minority. One important aspect of reaching Asian American and Pacific Islander voting groups is the complete translation of all campaign materials. More than 39% of AAPIs are limited-English proficient. Voters identified as limited-English proficient who receive information only in English will understand less than half of the written text. Clearly, English-only marketing materials on candidates and ballot measures leave a large population of voters entirely inaccessible. The importance of accessible voting materials for the AAPI population can't be overstated. According to a recent survey by Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, voter enthusiasm is quite high and "is found across the board for Asian American voters, with no statistically significant differences by ethnicity, gender, age, nativity, and state of residence." Avantpage provides high-quality translation of campaign and ballot marketing materials from English to languages spoken by AAPIs. We are experienced in Cantonese, Mandarin, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi, among others. Our readability assessment tools are particularly important for elections materials because they broaden accessibility for voters. With them, we can adjust reading level of texts or make them match the English source to make sure that the information is accurately conveyed across languages. Avantpage stands for the right of Asian American and Pacific Islanders to clear and readable election materials in their preferred languages. We believe that democracy works best when everyone is included, and that high-quality translation is an important part of operationalizing those values.

A comprehensive health and benefits package is key to attracting and retaining the best workers in your industry. However, employee benefits packages are fraught with some of the most complex and challenging compliance regulations Human Resources faces today. Are your materials accessible and compliant? Avantpage Client Manager Lucas Eaton will be on hand at this month’s Health and Benefits Leadership Conference in Las Vegas, NV to talk with companies about how to translate compliance-ready benefit package documentation to reach their limited-English proficient (LEP) workers. Smart executives know that promoting health and wellness initiatives raises productivity, improves performance, and increases job satisfaction at every level of the organizational chart. A wide variety of new apps, fitness trackers, and wearables give employees more control over their health than ever before and provide companies new ways of supporting worker health through benefit programs and opt-in opportunities. As the LEP population across the US continues to grow, it’s critical for companies to reach out to workers through communication in their own language.  Once LEP employees fully understand the healthcare options available to them, they can utilize their benefits appropriately to become healthier, more productive workers. When translating health and benefits materials into other languages, there’s no margin for error. It’s critical that all your documentation is compliant with federal, state, and local regulations because poor translations can lead to misunderstandings and may even expose your company to legal action. Our proven healthcare and medical translation services ensure your benefits package materials meet all regulatory guidelines and can pass auditing inspections with flying colors. We have the expertise to examine the laws surrounding your translation projects and the resources to make sure you’re in compliance every step of the way. If you’re attending this year’s event, be sure to stop by our booth for a chance to win an Amazon Fire and to learn more about Avantpage’s translation expertise in the Human Resources and Healthcare space. Can’t make it this year? No problem! We’re always available by email or phone to provide you with a free quote on your next project. Image: Michael Havens

If fair and equal access to voting is a central tenet of a true democracy, then California’s democratic process is far from functional. The great state is home to 14.5 million Latino people, 73% of whom speak Spanish at home. California Latinos have a significantly higher chance of living in poverty than the population as a whole. Nearly half of Latinos do not complete high school, and only one in ten go on to get their bachelor’s degree. Although Latinos are more likely than the general population to receive aid from government programs, the average dollar amount of benefits they receive is significantly lower than that of other recipients. With the above factors stacked against Latino immigrants, it comes as no surprise that voter turnout is much lower in areas with high Hispanic populations than the California average. San Bernardino county, for example, is 51% Hispanic by population and had a total voter turnout of 11% of the population in 2014, compared to 42% in the state as a whole. Creating accessible voting materials is key to combating Latino disenfranchisement in California. In 2015, Avantpage worked with the County of San Bernardino on creating readable, effective English to Spanish translations of voter information including electioneering signs, ballot measures, and arguments for and against to give voters a fair idea of what a “yes” or “no” vote would mean. We also translated voter registration materials into Spanish, putting the ballot box within reach for those who cannot fill out a registration form in English. These translations, and all current and future Avantpage projects, focus on the core values of linguistic quality and communication with cultural sensitivity. To us, cultural sensitivity includes careful research of historically disadvantaged groups in order to make it possible for their voices to be heard. One way we achieve linguistic quality is by assessing the reading level of source texts and adjusting it for the target audience, whether they have had access to formal education or not. At Avantpage we believe in the power of the democratic process to transform inequitable social circumstance, and we believe that good translation is key to the right of every citizen to understand and participate in elections. Image: MoonShadows7

Two recent news stories highlight contrasting approaches to language access for recent immigrants with limited English proficiency. A local government agency in Georgia refuses to provide election documents in Spanish. Meanwhile a New York school district plans to beef up language services for thousands of LEP schoolchildren and will expand translation and interpretation services to include nine additional languages. In Gwinnett County, GA, Latino voters requested the county provide Spanish-language ballots so its Latino citizens would be able to understand their voting choices when participating in the upcoming primary and general election. The Gwinnett Board of Registration and Elections rejected the proposal by a 4-1 vote. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Alice O’Lenick, chair of the elections board, suggested Latinos sue the county or get an order from a higher state authority requiring Spanish-language ballots. “If a judge says do this, we’ll do it,” she said. O’Lenick might get her wish. Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, told Fox News Latino, "Unfortunately Gwinnett County chose to continue to be out of compliance with the Voting Rights Act and decided that the Puerto Rican community's voting rights should not be protected. We tried to work with the county to come up with an implementation plan to avoid litigation, but the county has refused to move forward in an amicable manner." In stark contrast, New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced the establishment of new translation and interpreting support programs for the city's immigrant population. The programs will include the expansion of its translation and interpreting services and the hiring of nine new language access coordinators. Providing services to immigrant communities is an important priority for New York City officials, as the city’s economy thrives when immigrants do well. Most major employers in the US, along with cities and states with the most dynamic economies, all support language access and encourage immigration. It’s puzzling to see that some groups still see them as a burden and a threat.

Two recent news stories highlight contrasting approaches to language access for recent immigrants with limited English proficiency. A local government agency in Georgia refuses to provide election documents in Spanish. Meanwhile a New York school district plans to beef up language services for thousands of LEP schoolchildren and will expand translation and interpretation services to include nine additional languages. In Gwinnett County, GA, Latino voters requested the county provide Spanish-language ballots so its Latino citizens would be able to understand their voting choices when participating in the upcoming primary and general election. The Gwinnett Board of Registration and Elections rejected the proposal by a 4-1 vote. According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Alice O’Lenick, chair of the elections board, suggested Latinos sue the county or get an order from a higher state authority requiring Spanish-language ballots. “If a judge says do this, we’ll do it,” she said. O’Lenick might get her wish. Jerry Gonzalez, Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials, told Fox News Latino, "Unfortunately Gwinnett County chose to continue to be out of compliance with the Voting Rights Act and decided that the Puerto Rican community's voting rights should not be protected. We tried to work with the county to come up with an implementation plan to avoid litigation, but the county has refused to move forward in an amicable manner." In stark contrast, New York City Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña announced the establishment of new translation and interpreting support programs for the city's immigrant population. The programs will include the expansion of its translation and interpreting services and the hiring of nine new language access coordinators. Providing services to immigrant communities is an important priority for New York City officials, as the city’s economy thrives when immigrants do well. Most major employers in the US, along with cities and states with the most dynamic economies, all support language access and encourage immigration. It’s puzzling to see that some groups still see them as a burden and a threat.

Nearly 35 percent of Texas residents speak a primary language other than English at home and the number of non-English speakers across the state continues to rise. Election officials are required to provide bilingual election materials to limited English proficient (LEP) voters, including ballots, applications for early voting, voter affidavit forms, and some types of instructional posters. That’s a lot to tackle but it’s critical to provide LEP residents with election materials they can read in their own language in order to make informed decisions during the 2016 election season. Let’s take a look at what’s involved. Before an election translation project can get underway, it’s important to understand the landscape. As the second largest state in the US, Texas is home to: Texas relies on three different voting methods during election season: paper ballots, optical scan, and a Direct Record Electronic system that allows voters to select their choices on a touch screen or dial-driven device. In addition to translated voting materials, LEP voters may also use an interpreter to communicate with election officials. Services for limited English speaking voters don’t stop there. “Election judges must make reasonable efforts to hire bilingual election clerks, depending on the language needs of the precinct.” notes the State Bar of Texas. It takes a lot of planning and preparation to build a bridge between a county and its LEP voters. Election translation projects can take up to three months to complete, depending on the volume and number of languages involved. Adding to the challenge, each county has their own unique requirements and needs so care must be taken to provide translations in accordance with the target audience the materials are meant to reach. Be sure to download an informative case study to learn how Avantpage delivered 100 Spanish-translation files to three California counties in just 48 hours. Although the election season is in full swing, there’s still time to line up a qualified and certified language services provider for your election translation project. Get in touch with Avantpage today. Image of bridge: diveofficer

Elections season is upon us! The upcoming Iowa Caucuses and the New Hampshire primary launch the run up to the US presidential election on Tuesday, November 8, 2016. As our immigrant population of voting age becomes more diverse, the requirements for election officers to provide election materials in languages beyond English continue to increase. China and India are now the top sources of new immigrants, replacing Mexico which held the first slot for decades. Election translation requirements stretch across nearly all 50 states, from California, Oregon and Washington in the west, through Nevada, New Mexico and Texas, all the way to New York, Florida and Massachusetts in the East. While Spanish continues to be the most common language spoken in the US after English, California translates its election documents into nine languages including Chinese. Alaska has native language requirements as well as a growing Filipino population that speaks Tagalog. Meanwhile, several Texas counties have significant Vietnamese populations, and New York has a large base of Haitian Creole-speaking voters. Although the election season is in full swing, you still have time to line up a qualified and certified language services provider for your election translation project. Get in touch with Avantpage today and we will provide the voters of your state with election materials they can read in their own language in order to make informed and responsible decisions during the 2016 elections. Image: Nicole Klauss

At Avantpage, we're always looking for ways to offer our clients more bang for their buck. Our goal is to provide services that enhance our clients’ translation efforts, offer greater accuracy, and reduce errors to save you time, effort and money. That's why we're excited to introduce a new service for our customers, Comprehensive Linguistic Evaluation. This service meticulously evaluates translations for accuracy, fluency, and target audience comprehension. Using Multidimensional Quality Metrics to evaluate over 40 criteria in translation accuracy and fluency, this new review process picks up errors like the unintentional duplication of a syllable or word.  For instance, a source text referring to a “girl” that's translated with a word that applies only to teenage girls is an error in accuracy. Avantpage’s Linguistic Quality Editors possess the metalinguistic knowledge needed to assess and categorize translation errors. They are responsible for creating a report providing the client with an overall recommendation for what to do with the translation. Translators make recommendations on whether a translation file may need a few minor changes or further editing and rework. Comprehensive Linguistic Evaluation clients receive: We’ve found that the types of projects best suited to Comprehensive Linguistic Evaluation are those in which the translation quality has been questioned or for which no assessment has been done before. Files that will be read widely by end users pose a higher risk for the client and Comprehensive Linguistic Evaluation helps mitigate that risk. If you're interested in using Comprehensive Linguistic Evaluation, contact your Account Manager or Project Manager to request this service. For more information about how the service works, please contact us. Image: Got Credit

During election season, it’s important to make sure your messaging and documentation reaches all potential voters and supporters and it all begins with encouraging voters to come to the polls. The title of this post uses a Google Translate Spanish translation of the word “let” that would be correct if we were referring to the voting actions of our friends. However, in most situations the correct translation would be “Vamos a voter." This example shows why an advanced technology like Machine Translation (MT) is not suitable for highly-regulated, visible, and specialized content like what’s used during US Elections. Both my and Google’s translations are grammatically correct, yet Google Translate fails to recognize the context and usage of the expression, producing a translation that is not even close to the real meaning. This is just one of many issues that arise when using MT to translate election content. For instance, did you know it’s illegal in most states to use machine translation for official elections documentation? Fortunately, computer-aided translation (CAT) tools are an option and are used extensively to translate official election documents, providing larger volume, faster turnaround, and better quality at lower costs. What's the difference between using CAT tools and MT to translate official US election documents? Human intervention. Humans are still superior to computers when it comes to translation because we can recognize things like context, nuance, common usage, and culturally appropriate details. Professional translators regularly produce more accurate, readable, and compliant election material translations on time by using CAT tools, style guides and other assets, and follow a 3-step translation process that includes, editing and proofreading. Don’t let potential votes go to waste because of language barriers and communication gaps.  Download our brief on elections translation and let us know if you have any questions about how we can help you translate your official election documents.

I celebrated my birthday and Thanksgiving with a visit to the gorgeous Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay Area. The weather was cold and sunny, with beautiful views of  San Francisco, Marin County and Berkeley. We also visited the US Immigration Station (USIS), which is also known as the Ellis Island of the West. Unfortunately, its natural beauty is tempered by the ugly history of the USIS which mirrors the immigration politics and xenophobia playing out in our current political season. As European immigrants arrived by the thousands in the 1800s, Asians already here were seen as a threat and deprived of the most basic rights. In 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act (CEA) was enacted by the federal government, to prevent any new Asians — primarily Chinese — from coming in to the USA. Sadly, the USIS primarily became nothing more than a detention center to enforce the CEA. When Angel Island became a California State Park in the late 20^th century, park rangers discovered beautiful carvings on the walls of the main building. Detainees had written poems and messages on the walls as they waited for their cases to be processed.  Many of these poems have been restored and translated, and are chronicled in several books. The US’s racist laws and policies were not repealed until the Immigration Act of 1965, which gave every nationality the same immigration foothold. Today we know, of course, that immigrants are a huge asset to the American economy and society. The Chinese are considered a “model minority” who achieve higher levels of success than many other Americans. The linguistic and racial diversity from immigration continues to propel the US economy ahead of the rest of the world. Keep this in mind as you hear the heated rhetoric during this election season.

The Open Government Partnership (OGP) was launched in 2011 to provide an international platform for domestic reformers committed to making their governments more open, accountable, and responsive to citizens. The US is a founding member and today the OGP has 69 participating countries. In all these countries, government and civil society work together to develop and implement ambitious open government reforms. One of the requirements for participation in the OGP is to release an Open Government National Action Plan every two years detailing steps the US is taking to advance open government initiatives. The third version of the plan was released in October, 2015, and includes directives for federal agencies to provide meaningful access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals. “The United States will ensure that public- facing programs and activities, including recipients of Federal financial assistance through the General Services Administration, have policies and practices in place to provide meaningful access to limited English proficient individuals. The General Services Administration will conduct outreach and training efforts with its employees and recipients of Federal assistance to inform these policies and programs,” reads the report. Clearly, the US government recognizes that an essential part of access is providing information in language that the public understands. For the first time, the US includes mandates to reach out to its LEP population through Language Access plans, as well as to use “plain language” in how it describes its objectives and goals. Under the recent initiatives, the US federal government will use the General Services Administration to channel its efforts to ensure that public facing programs and activities, including recipients of federal financial assistance, provide meaningful access to LEP individuals. We welcome the continuing efforts of the US Government to empower its LEP population! Image: The White House