In this article, the literature on educational interpreting is examined for information related to optimal interpreting in school settings. This literature review is coupled with an examination of 15 guidelines for educational interpreters in school districts and programs for the deaf and hard of hearing across the United States. With this information, the authors then explore discrepancies between what guidelines recommend, what actually occurs in classrooms, and what research on the process of interpreting has found on the basis of three major areas of concern: the production of the message by the interpreter, the reception of the message by the student, and additional responsibilities required of interpreters working in school programs.