A hallmark of the Trump administration's education policy agenda, school choice programs aim to provide public funds to families to cover education-related expenses, including for independent school tuition. ...more
New York independent schools should be aware of several significant developments in state law impacting their employees. Schools should review and update their employee handbooks as necessary to address these changes to the...more
In the hours following his inauguration, President Trump issued executive orders concerning immigration, including the launch of new enforcement policies to address illegal entry, unlawful presence, and removal of...more
2/24/2025
/ Best Practices ,
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) ,
Educational Institutions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Executive Orders ,
Immigrants ,
Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) ,
Immigration Enforcement ,
Immigration Procedures ,
Private Schools ,
Students ,
Trump Administration
During the first days of President Trump's second term of office, he issued executive orders rescinding many Biden-era executive orders and addressing a wide range of initiatives and issues that were a focus of his election...more
Illinois lawmakers passed a number of changes to employment laws effective January 1, 2025. The following is a summary of each law...more
1/17/2025
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Compliance ,
E-Verify ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employee Rights ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Job Promotions ,
Pay Transparency ,
Personnel Records ,
Private Schools ,
Recordkeeping Requirements ,
State Labor Laws ,
Whistleblower Protection Policies
The election of President-elect Donald Trump to serve a second term could carry significant implications for independent schools. As we move toward Inauguration Day, it would be wise for independent schools to stay attuned to...more
Just last week, a court order blocked the implementation of a Department of Labor rule that would increase the salary thresholds for exempt employees. Many independent schools may be wondering what this means for them,...more
11/20/2024
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Faculty ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Final Rules ,
Highly Compensated Employees ,
Minimum Salary ,
Over-Time ,
Private Schools ,
Standard Duties Test ,
Teachers ,
Threshold Requirements ,
Vacated
Now that independent schools are well into the 2024-2025 school year, independent schools are turning their attention toward enrollment and re-enrollment season for the 2025-2026 school year. ...more
In a 2024 Final Rule, the Department of Labor (DOL) announced that it would be increasing in two phases the salary threshold for employees to be exempt from overtime....more
8/2/2024
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Exempt-Employees ,
Faculty ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Final Rules ,
Highly Compensated Employees ,
Minimum Salary ,
Over-Time ,
Private Schools ,
Teachers ,
Threshold Requirements
In 2022, and as previously discussed here, two separate federal district courts each held that an independent school's status as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization is considered a school's receipt of federal financial...more
Independent schools with more than 100 employees are reminded that they have a legal obligation to file an EEO-1 report with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)—and the December 5 deadline is here. If an...more
On October 30, 2023, President Biden issued Executive Order No. 14110 on the Safe, Secure, and Trustworthy Development and Use of Artificial Intelligence. ...more
With COVID-era travel restrictions in the rearview mirror, school-sponsored student travel is quickly accelerating back to pre-pandemic levels. As an integral part of the curriculum and an engine to provide a vibrant and...more
As independent schools work to promote equity, understanding, and inclusion of students across the gender spectrum on their campuses, it seems that legislative efforts on the state and federal levels are moving in the...more
On June 29, 2023, in a set of consolidated cases (Students for Fair Admissions v. Presidents & Fellows of Harvard and Students for Fair Admissions v. University of North Carolina et al.), the Supreme Court overturned...more
7/7/2023
/ Affirmative Action ,
Civil Rights Act ,
College Admissions ,
Diversity ,
Diversity and Inclusion Standards (D&I) ,
Educational Institutions ,
Equal Protection ,
Fourteenth Amendment ,
Private Schools ,
Race Discrimination ,
SCOTUS ,
Students for Fair Admissions v Harvard College ,
Students for Fair Admissions v University of North Carolina ,
Title VI
Many independent schools have developed or are in the process of developing policies and procedures regarding students who are transgender or gender non-conforming. Often, the laws that govern these issues are not applicable...more
Reviewing your school's student and employee handbooks on a regular basis is an invaluable practice for ensuring that these documents accurately reflect the school's expectations, values, and procedures, as well as ensuring...more
Yesterday, Governor Wes Moore signed into law the Child Victims Act of 2023, which permits survivors of child sexual abuse to file a civil lawsuit at any time, repealing both the current statute of limitations and the statute...more
Student safety and security is of paramount importance in independent schools. While the goal of a hiring process is primarily to find the best candidate for the position, it is imperative that schools craft policies and...more
Independent school business officers are tasked with a wide range of responsibilities, including payroll, accounting, accounts payable, investments, and facility security. Unfortunately, many independent schools are...more
Summer camps can be a great source of auxiliary income for independent schools, with the bonus of being fun and engaging for campers. But schools should be aware of the various risks associated with hosting a summer program...more
Independent schools often contract with vendors to support the school's operations and delivery of its curriculum and programming, including transportation providers, food service, cleaning and facilities maintenance,...more
The enrollment contract sets the foundation and expectations for the relationship between the school and its community members. As such, it is important to ensure that your enrollment contract is well drafted and...more
10/27/2022
/ Attorney's Fees ,
Contract Terms ,
COPPA ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Enrollment ,
Gender Neutral ,
Indemnification ,
Mental Health ,
Private Schools ,
Student Enrollment ,
Student Privacy
In early August, the New York State Department of Health announced the New York Healthcare Worker Bonus (“HWB”) program. The HWB program aims to award New York's frontline healthcare workers with $1.2 billion in...more
As the 2022-2023 school year begins, independent schools should revisit their COVID-19 protocols. The newer COVID-19 variants have proved to be milder than the original strain, justifying shorter self-isolation periods...more