On March 18, 2020, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of Clovis Unified School District in A.L. v. Clovis Unified School District, affirming the lower court’s dismissal of claims against the district. In the case, a student filed claims of discrimination under […]
Category: legal
Boards may meet without a physical meeting space for the public, and may receive updates on COVID-19 from officials
On March 17, 2020, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a second executive order impacting meetings held by school district and county office of education boards. Executive Order N-29-20 superseded paragraph 11 of the March 12, 2020, Executive Order N-25-20, which required local educational agencies to provide […]
FERPA and virtual learning during COVID-19
With the outbreak of COVID-19 in the United States, and the social distancing and other safety-related restrictions being implemented to contain it, schools throughout the country have almost universally switched to distance or virtual learning. The switch has raised countless questions for parents and school […]
COVID-19, board meetings and Brown Act requirements
The following update provides guidance on the Brown Act provisions waived under Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order, and information about the procedures your governing board can use to conduct board meetings during this unique time. Governor Newsom’s Executive Order: On March 12, 2020, Gov. Newsom […]
New law and changes to updating student records
As the keeper of student records, districts often receive requests from former students and parents/guardians for transcripts, diplomas and other past student records. A new law, Assembly Bill 711 (Chiu, D-San Francisco), aims to help former students and parents request changes to these records, including […]
Settlement reached in literacy lawsuit against California
A settlement was approved last week in Ella T. v. California, ending a lawsuit against the State of California brought on behalf of 10 students attending three elementary schools in the state. Under the terms of the settlement, subject to approval by the Legislature, the […]
California Supreme Court finds some district employees eligible for unemployment benefits during summer term
On Jan. 16, 2020, the California Supreme Court reversed a court of appeal decision and held that section 1253.3 of the Unemployment Insurance Code (section 1253.3) does not bar public school employees from collecting unemployment benefits if the summer session constitutes an “academic term.” The […]
March 15 layoff notices: What boards should know
As a member of a school board governance team, few situations are more sensitive than a district delivering March 15 layoff notices. It is essential for governing board members to be familiar with information about the March 15 notice, its implementation process and the strict […]
E-cigarette maker Juul allegedly still marketing to teens
Two new lawsuits out of Illinois are targeting the San Francisco e-cigarette manufacturer Juul Labs Inc. for allegedly using deceptive marketing campaigns to target teens. News of the complaints broke just under a year after reports that the company had offered districts in California stipends […]
CSBA’s Education Legal Alliance restores California public school funds to state budget
California’s public schools will receive hundreds of millions of dollars in additional funding and avoid billions in potential losses thanks to a settlement agreement between the State of California and CSBA. The agreement ensures public schools will receive repayment of $686 million (approximately $110 per […]