PODCAST: Williams Mullen's Gavels & Gowns - What’s Next in VA K-12 Education? An Interview with Scott Brabrand, Executive Director of VASS
Podcast: A Conversation with Andy Rotherham on Hot Topics in Education for 2023
The Transformation of Education in Florida
School District Update Podcast: Hiring H-1B Teachers in 2021-2022
COVID-19: New York Travel Guidance, Related Disability FAQs, Reopening/Operating Procedures, School District Update
They Said What? First Amendment Issues in 2020
COVID School Landscape
Education Data Privacy and Security Laws: Best Practices for School Districts
Leadership in the Time of COVID
Nota Bene Episode 90: U.S. Q3 Check In: Stimulus, Relief, Election, and Direction with Elizabeth Frazee and Jonathan Meyer
Top 10 Actions (or Inactions), that Spur Special Education Impartial Hearing Requests for School Districts
As the start of school quickly approaches for Georgia private K-12 schools, there’s a little more planning to do this year: getting up to speed on the state’s new gender identification requirements for interscholastic...more
On June 30, 2025, Governor Pritzker signed into law Public Act 104-0020 which amends Article 24A of the Illinois School Code and upends a major component of the Performance Evaluation Reform Act (“PERA”) that governs teacher...more
Effective October 1, 2025, access to the Connecticut Family Medical Leave Act (“CT FMLA”) and Connecticut Paid Family Medical Leave Insurance (“CT Paid Leave”) will be expanded to include all non-certified school employees at...more
In its recently adjourned session, the General Assembly passed two major bills regarding special education. Although the Governor has not yet signed these bills, we wanted to provide a brief and non-exhaustive overview of the...more
On May 8, 2025, the New York State Legislature passed the state’s budget legislation and, on May 9, 2025, Governor Hochul approved it. The legislation included several provisions that modified the New York State Education...more
Amid ongoing conversations about student focus and classroom distractions, Ohio lawmakers are considering new measures to regulate cellphone use in schools. These discussions reflect growing concerns among educators, parents,...more
Crossover Day coincided with Cattlemen’s Day at the Georgia State Capitol on Thursday, and the event known for its coveted steak biscuits brought a different type of celebrity this year. The Georgia Mobile Dairy Classroom,...more
When lawmakers and lobbyists were greeted by the aroma of grilled peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in the Georgia State Capitol on Tuesday morning, there was no question what day it was. In addition to Crossover Eve,...more
Week 5 of the 2025 Iowa Legislative Session closed with the first major deadline of the year. Individual legislators had until Friday, February 14, to request bills and joint resolution drafts to the Legislative Services...more
A Georgia law that became effective January 1 creates new coverage requirements and mental health benefits that could impact school districts and certain of their employees....more
Happy New Year! Several Illinois laws related to schools became effective January 1, 2025, and our team at Franczek P.C. has compiled them in its new School Law Legislative Update, focused on new laws in effect in 2025. A PDF...more
Ohio Governor DeWine just signed into effect a law that will soon ban students from using school restrooms and other facilities that don’t align with their sex assigned at birth – and your school will need to take steps to...more
Interested in learning more about HB68 and what policies you should be paying attention to? Join education attorneys Kasey Havekost and Izaak Orlansky for a discussion on the new laws governing transgender students in the...more
When I reflect on the relationship that our firm has with our clients, I’m most proud of the fact that you can always count on us. That often means defending complex litigation, steering you through regulatory threats,...more
Understanding the New Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and Full Scope of Pregnancy-Related Discrimination Laws for Schools - On June 27, 2023, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act went into effect. This new law requires covered...more
As schools prepare for the upcoming academic year, you should consider the impact of Florida’s new law addressing locker room and bathroom use. The Safety in Private Spaces Act was recently signed into law by Governor...more
Summer is Coming: Are Youth Camps Part of Your Clery Compliance Program? “Regarding compliance and safety, many institutions have youth protection policies that camps must follow.” Why this is important: The Jeanne...more
Florida lawmakers passed a bill on Wednesday that will make it a crime for individuals to use certain bathrooms that don’t align with their gender at birth, raising many questions for schools, public employers, and businesses...more
According to the State of Ohio Department of Transportation website, the new division is intended to develop and provide training for school staff members whose districts opt to allow certain employees to be armed on school...more
On Monday Governor Pritzker signed into law Public Act 102-0895 (Senate Bill 1975) creating Section 18-190.7 of the Property Tax Code, which modifies how certain school districts and other units of local government can...more
Yesterday, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law a revised version of HB 1167, which provides paid administrative leave, with no deduction of sick leave days, to fully vaccinated teachers for absences related to COVID-19....more
As we approach the time of year when schools typically issue employment contracts, schools should be aware that Congress recently passed the “Ending Forced Arbitration of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment Act.” This new...more
The American Rescue Plan Act signed by President Biden at the end of last week includes almost $130 billion in education funding. The vast majority of that money will be distributed to school districts based on the Title I...more
Legislators wrapped up a long Crossover week today with short floor sessions and a variety of committee meetings. Most notably, subcommittees of the Senate Appropriations Committee rushed to complete hearings on the FY22...more
Monday marked the nominal halfway point of the 2021 Legislative Session, but there is a keen awareness among lawmakers and lobbyists that more than half of the legislature’s work for the year lies in the legislative days to...more