Florida sign language interpreters have an advantage over other states in that they can be certified as Educational Interpreters. Unfortunately, there are tons of horror stories about interpreters in educational settings. If you live in Florida and need an interpreter for your child's education, make sure he or she holds an EIE.

The Florida Educational Interpreter Evaluation is a diagnostic test including a written test, an interview, and an evaluation of performance skills. There are 3 levels of certification, which Florida Sign Language Interpreters may receive: Levels I, II, and III. Interpreters must take this test every 4 years to remain current.

Florida Sign Language Interpreters in Education

The EIE came about in the mid 1980s, with concerns over the Registry for Interpreters of the Deaf's Code of Ethics. Originally created for use in community interpreting, the code of ethics posed a challenge when used in an educational setting. Interpreters in education, employed by school districts, were bound by local and state laws, and had conflicts with the RID Code of Ethics. Therefore, the EIE was developed.

Florida sign language interpreters follow national standards but they also must follow Florida laws. Florida sign language interpreters, for example, are not protected by any confidentiality laws when it comes to child protection, and must report any incidences observed in an interpreting situation. In another example, police cannot use notes or information gathered during the questioning a deaf person where an interpreter is not present.