Assessment Systems for K-12 Educational Interpreters (ASK12)

A Multi-State Assessment Program for Interpreters Working in Educational Settings

The Assessment System for K-12 Educational Interpreters is a partnership of 14 states and the Mountain Plains Regional Resource Center, that provides educational interpreters the opportunity to evaluate their skills. Each state department of education special education director makes up the partnership.  Information on registration and upcoming testings is available on the ASK12 Registration page.

The current state-members of the ASK12 are Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Utah, and Wyoming.  As ASK12 grows to a national service, we welcome new states and K-12 interpreters.  Information on joining the ASK12 project is available on the ASK12 Membership page.  If you are looking for information on interpreter training programs, check out the Interpreter Training Programs page.

The ASK12 Project continues to serve 14 states by providing on-site testing opportunities using the Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA). ASK12 is now approaching the 2,500 test mark. This means that approximately 2,500 K-12 educational interpreters have had the opportunity to show their best work during this 2-hour skills assessment. Each interpreter receives a complete diagnostic workup with recognition of skill strengths and recommendations for improvement.  Each state receives a research-based report with training and education recommendations based on interpreter performance.  If you have questions about the EIPA, view the EIPA FAQ page or the EIPA Written Test page.

Technical Assistance for Excellence in Special Education (TAESE) serves as an umbrella agency for the ASK12 Project, providing guidance and consultation to the project and the advisory board.  ASK12 utilizes the EIPA as the evaluation tool to measure interpreting skills of K-12 interpreters throughout the ASK12 states.

 The EIPA Diagnostic Center, located in Omaha, NE, at Boys Town National Research Hospital (BTNRH), is a non-profit organization dedicated to research, education, and clinical treatment of children and adults with hearing loss.  BTNRH oversees the administration of the EIPA Diagnostic Center, approves all Local Test Administrators (LTA), coordinates the rating of assessments, and is the sole proprietary owner of the EIPA and all associated materials.

 Dr. Bernhardt Jones, Director of the ASK12 Project, is an approved LTA and is approved for human subjects research by BTNRH.  He coordinates the administration of the EIPA in ASK12 states.  ASK12 works closely with the BTNRH EIPA Diagnostic Center to assure that the administration of the EIPA continues to be reliable and accessible.  To find out more about ASK12 Staff, view the ASK12 Staff page.

BTNRH has established the EIPA test rate of $250.  Questions regarding the test instrument and its administration throughout the United States and Canada should be directed to BTNRH (www.boystownhospital.org/EIPA ).

If you have questions or would like more information, contact Dr. Jones at .