Translation Practices
prácticas de traducción

Video

Click here to watch a short video regarding our translation practices.

Mission

The mission of the translation team is to translate communications for families.

Submission Standards

Requests must be submitted as Microsoft Word, PowerPoint or Excel documents and contain original, typed text. The subject line must include the school name and the document title.

Requests

Send your request to MRC[underscore]Translation[at]dpsnc[dot]net.

Checklist

Before submitting your request, please review the following:

Have you asked your administrative team if a Spanish-language template has been sent via Leadership Weekly?
Use family-friendly language.
Avoid the use of idioms or metaphoric language.
Have you spelled out any acronyms?
Do you use Google Docs or Microsoft 365? If so, download your file and include it in your request.

Emergencies

Translations will be handled in the order they are received. The only exception is for health and safety. The Director retains discretion to prioritize requests. Please note: emergency announcements, such as school evacuations or closures, are handled at the district-level.

Timing

The content, vocabulary and length of the document affect the amount of time required to translate a document.

Please note: families need time to receive, sign and return a document by the deadline in order to participate in an activity/event. Therefore, documents must be submitted according to the following schedule:

One to two pages: 3 business days

Three to five pages: 7 business days

Documents over 5 pages must be submitted for review. We will review the document and provide you with an estimate. This includes handbooks, catalogues, manuals and course selection guides. (If available, send the previous Spanish-language translation and the revised version in English. Changes should be highlighted in the English version.)

Documents Eligible for Translation

DPS Board of Education policies
DPS brochures
DPS forms
DPS letters to families
DPS field trip permission forms
Title I notices
Grade newsletters by team, not teacher
Text of presentations
District and school newsletters and notices

Documents Not Eligible for Translation

Non-DPS documents (i.e. City of Durham, Durham County, State of North Carolina, non-profits, private businesses, etc.)
Waivers originating outside of Durham Public Schools
Parent Teacher Association (PTA) or Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) documents
Curriculum/syllabus/course outlines
Meeting minutes
Individual report card or progress report comments
Medical examinations
School newspapers
Poems or songs


revised on July 25, 2023. previously revised on September 22, 2021.