Immigrant communities in the Philadelphia region have their own set of struggles. Especially when it comes to parents who have their children matriculated into English-speaking institutions, writes Kristen A. Graham for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

While the Philadelphia School District uses in-person interpreters and the $25,000 a month Language Line, it still doesn’t account for indigenous languages. 

That’s where the Chester County Intermediate Unit’s Migrant Education Program comes in. The program has served 115 students who speak indigenous languages, such as Q’eqchi, a Guatemalan language.

CCIU also offers an abundance of other services, such as post-secondary programs, summer programs, ESL classes, life-skills lessons, leadership development, and extended school-day programs.  

Program coordinator Karisa Barlow said that the program was able to communicate with a student’s father that his foot was broken.  

“This student’s school has significant language diversity and makes incredible efforts to honor those languages and provide strong language access that makes families feel welcome,” Barlow said. 

“But staff are hamstrung by the lack of a telephonic interpretation resource for speakers of Q’eqchi’ and other indigenous Guatemalan languages.” 

Read more about the Chester County program in The Philadelphia Inquirer.  

CCIU: Who we are.