Announcements
EIPA Written Assessment Registration Update
Posted October 13th, 2026
Registration for the EIPA Written Assessment is temporarily paused through December 1, 2026, while we complete the migration to a new assessment platform. This transition is part of our ongoing effort to expand access to EIPA assessments and provide candidates with a more reliable, user-friendly testing experience. The new platform offers improved stability, enhanced usability, and will support future assessment delivery enhancements. Candidates who are currently registered to test during the transition period have already been contacted directly regarding their testing options and any necessary next steps. Coming Soon: Additional information about remote administration of the EIPA Written Assessment, expected to begin in December 2026, will be announced soon. We appreciate your patience and support as we implement these improvements to the EIPA testing program.
Black ASL in Deaf Education - Historical and Modern Context
Posted August 25, 2026
The 0.4 CEU presentation will provide an overview of a historical and linguistic study of Black ASL in the southern US states and discuss how institutional practices, policies, and language attitudes affect the language. The discussion of the timeline reveals the historical context of the systematic approach to maintaining racial separation that is responsible for differences in sign language varieties in the United States. Based on publications on Black ASL from 2011 to 2022, racial separation and discrimination, language policies, and language contact play a role in the development, maintenance, and structural change of Black ASL in educational and private settings. The phonological, discourse, and stylistic features of Black ASL are to be described with examples from two different generations of Black Deaf signing participants who have significantly different educational and language experiences, particularly in terms of racial demographics in educational settings. Black ASL in the original form before the 1960s existed among the aging population of Black Deaf people who attended segregated schools prior to desegregation. However, for younger generations, language experiences vary based on their exposure to communication and access to language varieties, including American Sign Language, Signed English, and African American Language (AAL). The differences are associated with language ideology (people's beliefs about spoken and sign languages) and language attitudes (people's judgments about languages), which affect language status, as explored in the study of Black ASL.
Workshop Date: April 3rd, 2027
Seeing Sounds: Making Phonology Visible Webinar
Posted August 25, 2026
This workshop explores the multi-sensory Visual Phonics program and its role in supporting phonological access and literacy development for Deaf and Hard of Hearing students. Participants will examine research supporting Visual Phonics and view video examples from classroom and therapy settings to better understand how students access spoken English, print, and sound-based information during instruction. The session is designed to increase interpreter knowledge of literacy-focused instructional practices commonly used with Deaf and Hard of Hearing learners. Hands-on activities will introduce select Visual Phonics handshapes and symbols, allowing participants to experience the system and reflect on how instructional context may inform access decisions within educational settings. This workshop will offer the ability to obtain 0.4 CEUs.
Workshop Date: January 30th, 2027
Strategies for Deaf-Plus Students Webinar Sign Up!
Posted August 25, 2026
Building on foundational knowledge, this 0.4 CEU session equips educational interpreters with practical, ethical, and collaborative strategies to support Deaf-Plus students. Participants explore role clarity, neutrality, and interpreter decision-making while learning linguistic, visual, sensory, and pacing strategies that shape meaningful access. Presenters address cognitive load, prompting, regulation, and teaming within IEP contexts. Through applied case studies—including mainstream, mental health, and self-contained settings—interpreters engage in structured problem-solving around communication breakdowns, autonomy, and dignity. This session emphasizes advocacy, environmental supports, and ethical responsibility to ensure access without control.Register Here: https://registration.boystown.org/eipa/register?sgid=97d96473e18d4f3c83cdbf46bbd9ce9b
News! Electronic Results!
Posted August 3, 2026
Starting August 3rd, 2026 your EIPA assessment results are zooming their way to your inbox. Say goodbye to snail mail and keep your eyes peeled for those digital reports!
EIPA Update on Turnaround Time
Posted May 6, 2025
The Educational Interpreter Performance Assessment (EIPA) Diagnostic Center at Boys Town National Research Hospital is steadfast in its commitment to improving EIPA turnaround time.The EIPA Diagnostic Center acknowledges the concerns raised by EIPA stakeholders and takes them seriously. In response, additional raters have been hired, and an EIPA Scientist has recently joined the team to oversee the continued development of the EIPA Performance and Written tests.
"We understand the challenges faced by our stakeholders and are committed to addressing them," said Dr. Kimberly Hutter, EIPA Scientist at Boys Town National Research Hospital.
"We are implementing more efficient processes, which have already led to an overall increase in completed evaluations weekly. We anticipate continuous progress in the coming months."
The EIPA Diagnostic Center remains dedicated to providing high-quality evaluations and ensuring stakeholder satisfaction through ongoing improvements and innovations.
Important Notice: Upcoming Test Fee Adjustments
Posted July 29, 2024
Effective January 1, 2025, EIPA test fees will increase as follows:
- EIPA Performance test will increase from $350 to $365 (4.3% increase)
- EIPA Written test will increase from $250 to $260 (4% increase)
- EIPA Pre-hire Screener test will increase from $150 to $155 (3.3% increase) *
The last adjustment to our test fees occurred in 2017. Since then, we have diligently worked to contain costs while maintaining the quality of our services. However, inflation and operational expenses have necessitated this increase. We understand the impact of inflation on educational interpreters and school systems. Therefore, we have refrained from fee adjustments for the past seven years. Our priority remains serving interpreters, school districts and students. We appreciate your understanding and continued support. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out at EIPA@boystown.org.