City and County Language Assistance

Free language services to help Tennessee’s officials communicate effectively with the diverse communities they serve.

Language Collaborative for County Officials

The Language Collaborative for County Officials (LCCO) is offered by the Tennessee Language Center (TLC) in partnership with the County Technical Assistance Service (CTAS).

 

Language Collaborative for Municipal Officials

The Language Collaborative for Municipal Officials (LCMO) is offered by TLC in partnership with the Municipal Technical Advisory Service (MTAS). This program provides free language classes and services for Tennessee municipal officials. (K-12 teachers are considered state employees and are not eligible for this program. TLC offers a 15% discount for teachers.)

A woman stands behind a podium teaching Spanish in a small classroom.
For Tennessee Cities and Counties

Free Language Services

Through these programs, county and municipal officials can request free language services and support, including:

A young woman stands behind a podium teaching Spanish to adult learners.

Group Language Classes

  • Free group classes are available in Spanish, Arabic or ASL (American Sign Language)
  • Discounted classes are available in eight other languages (apply for the 15% discount)
  • Nine-week courses, two hours per week
  • Four terms are available each year


Participants are responsible for the cost of textbooks and class materials. You will have access to that information once the class schedule goes live and registration opens.

A person holds open a Japanese book on a desk.

Written Translation

  • Signage for buildings
  • Official documents and applications
  • Forms, notices and more
A man sits at a desk facing a window and attends a Zoom meeting.

Verbal Interpretation

  • Phone system recordings
  • Video-remote interpretation
  • In-person interpreters
  • 24-hour telephonic interpretation
Two women stand in a classroom holding worksheets and speaking to each other.

Teaching English Certification Course

Students can take our Teaching English as a Second Language certification course for free. This 150-hour online course is offered several times each year.

Request Service

To request a service, please:

  1. Complete a request form.
    • Nashville/Davidson County officials, please select County on the form, not City. A project manager will contact you with details.
  2. Or call (615) 741-7579 during business hours to speak directly with a project manager.

Important Funding Information

  • Services are free thanks to funding from CTAS and MTAS.
  • A limited budget is available each fiscal year. Funding is first-come, first-served until it is exhausted.
  • There are no limits to the number of people per city/county that can take a world language class or the TESL certification training. However, we reserve the right to limit funding to major metro areas to ensure equal opportunities for all of Tennessee’s cities and counties.
  • Each individual is limited to one language class (Spanish, Arabic or ASL) per term.
  • Participants must attend at least six out of nine language classes in a term, or the city/county will be billed for the cost of the language class.