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Bill

HD 485

An Act relative to the training, assessment, and assignment of qualified school interpreters in educational settings

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Tony Cabral and 10 co-sponsors

Requires Massachusetts schools to hire and assign deaf student interpreters based on standardized training and assessment criteria rather than convenience.

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Bill Summary · HD 485

Legislative bill overview

HD 485 establishes standardized training, assessment, and assignment protocols for school interpreters working with deaf and hard-of-hearing students in Massachusetts educational settings. The bill aims to ensure interpreter qualifications meet specific standards and that assignments are made based on documented competency rather than availability alone.

Why is this important

Deaf and hard-of-hearing students depend on interpreters for equal access to classroom instruction and school activities. Poor interpreter quality or mismatched assignments directly impairs educational access and can widen achievement gaps. Standardized requirements help ensure consistent quality across districts and protect vulnerable students who cannot easily advocate for themselves.

Potential points of contention

  • Cost and implementation burden: School districts may face significant costs hiring, training, and certifying interpreters to meet new standards, potentially straining already tight special education budgets
  • Interpreter shortage concerns: Standardized requirements could disqualify currently-employed interpreters, worsening existing shortages in rural and underserved areas and forcing some districts to struggle finding compliant staff
  • State vs. local control: The bill's degree of mandate versus flexibility for local district decision-making on interpreter assignment and training methods may face resistance from school administrators

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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