Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents - CalEdFacts

The Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents (CMD) is an office in the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division.

First launched in 2005, the CMD is the California Department of Education’s (CDE) online resource to help districts and schools locate, access, and share parental notifications that have been translated into languages other than English. Schools can place the translated text onto letterhead, add local contact information, and modify it to suit the needs of their communities. Hundreds of translations are available to local educational agencies (LEAs) through the CMD.

The creation of the CMD was prompted by the various translation expectations incumbent upon schools. Many schools and district offices provide parental notifications both in English and in translation. Such notifications pertain to a wide variety of topics and programs, ranging from health and illness prevention, attendance, enrollment, accountability, statewide testing, and nutrition to surveys and permission forms. By using the CMD, California schools can reduce expenses, workload, and duplication of efforts.

The CMD assists districts in meeting legal and local requirements, including such federal laws as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Federal funds support the work of the CMD.

For more information, contact the CMD office at 916-319-0881 or by email at cmd@cde.ca.gov. Additional information is available on the CDE’s CMD web page.