The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a Title VI Fact Sheet on July 2, 2024, addressing the uptick in complaints alleging discrimination based on race, color, and national origin in PK-12 school districts and colleges/universities. The Fact Sheet was issued in direct response to protests held on school campuses (mostly post-secondary) in the wake [...]
On June 28, 2024, the U.S. Supreme Court limited the power of federal agencies (including the U.S. Department of Education) by overturning the ‘Chevron doctrine’ which had been recognized since 1984. Chevron U. S. A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U. S. 837 (1984). The Chevron doctrine stood for the proposition that [...]
Navigating residential placements can be complex, especially when considering factors such as student residency and district financial responsibility for educational services in a residential setting. We often get questions like, “Which district is responsible for providing or paying for educational services for a student who is placed in a residential setting by a state agency [...]
The U.S. Department of Justice recently issued a final Rule under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) addressing website accessibility requirements for K-12 public school districts and other governmental entities throughout the country to conform with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (commonly referred to as the WCAG 2.1 standards). Source: U.S. Department [...]
On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education Releases Final Title IX Regulations, Providing Vital Protections Against Sex Discrimination. In addition to the rules, the DOE issued a fact sheet, analysis of changes, and sample policies. For a look at the major changes to the law and a few resources open the newsletter [...]
In a non-binding opinion issued on November 2, 2023, the Public Access Counsel (PAC) determined that a Board of Education did not violate the Open Meeting Act’s (OMA) public recital requirement when it did not recite the name of the probationary employees being non-renewed prior to voting on the action. (2023 PAC 76897) The matter [...]
Faith’s Law is a new Illinois statute first passed in 2021 with a comprehensive trailer bill in 2023. The employment aspects of the statute have received most of the attention, but school districts are also required to notify parents/guardians about the availability of the ISBE Faith’s Law Resource Guide at the beginning of each school [...]
The Illinois Legislature recently passed a Fiscal Budget for 2024 that includes a major investment in education. Continue reading to learn more.
By: Elizabeth Kelly On May 15, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education released guidance on the current state of the law as it relates to school prayer and religious expression in the public school setting. This guidance comes on the heels of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Kennedy v. Bremerton. The legal motivation for [...]
Kriha Boucek celebrates five years of excellence in education law! In May 2018, we opened with a dedication to providing exceptional legal representation and counsel. Five years later, Kriha Boucek's attorneys now serve school districts in Illinois and Missouri. Together, we look forward to many more years of dedicated service.
