34 CFR §300.34(c) Related Services

(4) Interpreting services includes—

(i) The following, when used with respect to children who are deaf or hard of hearing: Oral transliteration services, cued language transliteration services, sign language transliteration and interpreting services, and transcription services, such as communication access real-time translation (CART), C-Print, and TypeWell; and

(ii) Special interpreting services for children who are deaf-blind.

34 CFR §300.156

(a) General. The SEA must establish and maintain qualifications to ensure that personnel necessary to carry out the purposes of this part are appropriately and adequately prepared and trained, including that those personnel have the content knowledge and skills to serve children with disabilities.
(b) Related services personnel and paraprofessionals. The qualifications under paragraph (a) of this section must include qualifications for related services personnel and paraprofessionals that--

(1) Are consistent with any State-approved or State-recognized certification, licensing, registration, or other comparable requirements that apply to the professional discipline in which those personnel are providing special education or related services; and
(2) Ensure that related services personnel who deliver services in their discipline or profession--

(i) Meet the requirements of paragraph (b)(1) of this section; and
(ii) Have not had certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis;

19 TAC §89.1131 – Commissioner’s Rule
(d) Interpreting services for students who are deaf shall be provided by an interpreter who is certified in the appropriate language mode(s), if certification in such mode(s) is available. If certification is available, the interpreter must be a certified member of or certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or the Texas Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI), Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS).

Schools that provide interpreting services to students who are deaf or hard of hearing must ensure that interpreters hold appropriate certification from the Texas Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI), Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services (DARS), Office for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DHHS), the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or be certified members of the RID in accordance with Texas Administrative Code (TAC).

A list of interpreter training programs in Texas is available at: http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dhhs/itp.shtml. Information regarding the S.E.E. Center Skillshop, and other sign language training is available through Region XI ESC. Information about BEI certification requirements is available at: http://www.dars.state.tx.us/dhhs/bei/ch4.htm. Information about RID certification is available at http://www.rid.org/education/edu_certification/index.cfm. Additional information regarding educational interpreters ia available from RID at http://rid.org/aboutRID/initiatives/index.cfm/AID/131.

The "Statewide Plan for Educational Services to Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing" has identified improving student results as a top priority. An important identified result in the plan reads, “Students who are deaf or hard of hearing meet or demonstrate continuous improvement on grade level standards on statewide assessments." Interpreting services provided by qualified educational interpreters can have a significant impact on this result.

As admission, review, and dismissal (ARD) committees consider individual education programs for students who are deaf or hard of hearing, it is important to remember that providing interpreting services to students in mainstream settings is only one of many options that can be addressed. A wide range of options should be made available to students to ensure individual success. In addressing placement decisions ARD committees should "consider the child's language and communication needs, opportunities for direct communications with peers and professional personnel in the child's language and communication mode including opportunities for direct instruction in the child's language and communication mode." [34 C.F.R. §300.324(a)(2)].
For more information about interpreter certification, visit the Web site of the Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services, Division for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services (DARS/DHHS) or the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID).