Schools across the US are working hard to provide meaningful access for students and families with limited English proficiency (LEP) during a time of uncertainty – budget cuts, policy shifts, and rising demand continue to make things difficult.
To better understand how schools are adapting to such changes, we surveyed 65 education professionals and enlisted the help of industry experts Katharine Allen and Giovanna Carriero-Contreras. Here are the top education interpreting trends in 2025 from our Educational Interpreting Report.
The ‘Interpreter Gap’ Is a Barrier in Schools
Over half of our respondents (57%) said they had to work with an LEP student or parent without an interpreter in the past year. Despite over 75,000 interpreter and translator jobs in the US alone last year, only a few institutions had the funds to hire them.
Around 60% of respondents cited costs as one of their top challenges, along with limited access to interpreting services (69%) and fluctuating demand (59%). During our State of Interpretation in Education webinar, Allen shared that it’s been an especially difficult year after the delayed release of around $6 billion in education program funding.
These financial pressures don’t erase the demand for language access. They make it even more important for schools to set clear priorities and stick to them.
Editor’s note: We’ve seen this trend in other regulated industries. Last year, 50% of healthcare professionals experienced the ‘interpreter gap’.
Parent Engagement Is the Top Priority
Three out of four respondents (75%) named parent engagement when asked, “What are your top three priorities for interpretation access in 2025?” This reflects a clear understanding: when LEP parents are included, students are more likely to succeed.
Language barriers and cultural differences exist outside of the classroom and often discourage LEP families from participating in their children’s education journey, but providing interpretation services can help break down these barriers.
This focus on parent engagement also points to a bigger picture: as classrooms become more diverse, schools must prepare for rising interpreting demand while addressing existing language gaps.
Most Anticipate an Increase in Interpreting Demand
Despite budget cuts, more than half of our respondents (57%) expect their interpreting volume to increase in 2025, while 37% don’t anticipate any changes. These numbers prove that language access isn’t something schools can just ignore. Carriero-Contreras summed it up at our webinar: “Today isn’t about whether you can afford language access services, it’s about whether you can afford not to have them.”
Schools anticipate greater interpretation demand next year, but how are they meeting interpretation needs today?
On-Site Interpreting Continues to Lead as Remote Options Expand
Today, 65% of respondents rely on on-site interpreters in education, especially for high-stakes conversations. Looking ahead, however, only 28% expect those services to expand in 2025. Most academic institutions are looking for alternative solutions that can meet other priorities for 2025, including improved quality (52%) and reduced costs (40%).
Some of our respondents have already turned to a mix of remote interpretation services to address language access needs:
- 55% use over-the-phone interpreting (OPI) for quick parent calls.
- 49% use video remote interpreting (VRI) for school meetings and conferences.
These numbers show that schools are already combining on-site and remote options to fill gaps today, a trend we can expect to grow in the near future.
By 2026, Remote Interpreting May Emerge as the Preferred Option
When asked, “What do you predict will be the interpretation usage for the education industry in 2025?”, most respondents expected a mix of AI assist (52%), VRI (54%), and OPI (42%). Only 28% expected an increase in on-site interpretation, pointing to a shift toward remote interpretation.
In evaluating language access options, Allen suggests looking holistically at your organization’s needs and asking, “How do we provide equal and meaningful access to education?” While schools may adopt different strategies, it’s clear that AI interpretation is part of the answer for many.
Most Schools Are Interested in AI Interpreting
With the Department of Justice backing AI and machine translation for language access, it’s no surprise that many schools are following suit. The question now is: which AI tools will actually make the biggest difference for their specific needs? In our survey, we dug deeper to learn what type of AI tools educational professionals are interested in.
Over 70% of our respondents are interested in AI interpreting tools that can caption calls and transcribe meetings. When used properly, these tools can help reduce the manual work of overextended staff and help schools cover more ground without sacrificing quality.
It’s also important to consider that these AI tools aren’t meant to replace interpreters but to extend their reach. As Carriero-Contreras explained in our webinar: “Understand where there’s a space for technology—and where there’s not.”
Get the Full Report
The findings are clear: demand is rising, resources are stretched, and schools seeking language access solutions are looking for flexible, tech-forward options that provide meaningful language access to LEP families. AI tools might not answer every problem, but they’re certainly a start.
Download the full Educational Interpreting Report 2025 here to learn more.
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