Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
Federal laws, particularly Title VI (and its Executive Order 13166 issued in 2000), entitle people who do not speak English as a primary language—or have limited ability to speak, read, write, or understand English—to certain types of language assistance with respect local, state and services, benefits and encounters. LEP assistance is designed to provide individuals with meaningful access to service that is consistent with, and not unduly burdensome to the fundamental mission of the agency or department. Meaningful access to a program or service requires awareness of its existence and provisions. Therefore, agencies and departments receiving federal funds are expected to regularly survey and assess the needs of their service populations to determine the extent to which crucial materials should be translated into other languages. The following documents provide useful information for departments seeking to comply with the federal LEP standards:
- Executive Order 13166, "Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency"
- Department of Justice Final Guidance to Federal Financial Assistance Recipients Regarding Title VI Prohibition Against National Origin Discrimination Affecting Limited English Proficient Persons as published in the Federal Register on June 18, 2002 (specifically for Department of Justice recipients)
- ISpeakCards2004