Happy New Year! Several Illinois laws related to schools became effective January 1, 2023, and our team at Franczek P.C. has compiled them in its new School Law Legislative Update, focused on new laws in effect in 2023. A PDF...more
1/10/2023
/ Bereavement Leave ,
Education Reform ,
Educational Institutions ,
Employee Misconduct ,
Employees ,
Hairstyle Discrimination ,
Health and Safety ,
LGBTQ ,
Mental Health ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
School Lunch Programs ,
Special Education ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Wage and Hour
Schools and districts throughout the State – and country – are beginning this school week on the heels of a flurry of announcements made last Friday by the CDC, the Illinois Supreme Court, Governor Pritzker and ISBE,...more
2/28/2022
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Illinois ,
Infectious Diseases ,
ISBE ,
Masks ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Schools ,
School Districts ,
Students ,
TRO ,
Workplace Safety
After announcing last week its plans to adopt the CDC’s new recommended shortened timeframes for exclusion, the IDPH and ISBE released several new guidance documents making such changes. The new guidance documents, as well as...more
1/14/2022
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
ISBE ,
New Guidance ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Social Distancing ,
Students ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing
Late Friday, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2021-24 requiring schools to exclude students and school personnel for COVID-19 diagnosis, exposure, or symptoms. School districts, not the local health department, are...more
9/21/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Executive Orders ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Quarantine ,
Sick Employees ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Workplace Safety
Last week, ISBE published Emergency Rules regarding Mandatory Vaccinations for School Personnel. The Emergency Regulations clarify the requirements under Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order 2021-22. ...more
9/20/2021
/ Biden Administration ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Teachers ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Governor Pritzker has ordered a vaccine mandate for all teachers and staff at pre-K-12 schools, as well as students and personnel at higher education institutions. Under the Executive Order, all pre-K-12 school personnel must...more
8/30/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Executive Orders ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
ISBE ,
Private Schools ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Public Schools ,
State Contractors ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
Earlier yesterday Governor Pritzker announced a mandate for all teachers and staff at pre-K-12 schools, as well as students and personnel at higher education institutions, to be vaccinated. ...more
8/27/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Critical Infrastructure Sectors ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Essential Workers ,
Executive Orders ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Private Schools ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Public Schools ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
Focused on providing a safe learning environment for in-person instruction, Governor Pritzker announced that all individuals in all PreK-12 schools and daycare settings in Illinois must wear a mask when indoors, regardless of...more
In a new FAQ issued, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) confirm that the adoption of the CDC’s July 9 guidance means local control of mitigation layers—most...more
7/28/2021
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
ISBE ,
Masks ,
New Guidance ,
Public Health ,
Social Distancing ,
Students ,
Vaccinations
The U.S. Department of Education recently released Volume 3 of its COVID-19 Handbook, which provides higher education institutions with strategies for reopening for in-person instruction and implementing the most recent CDC...more
Earlier last week, on June 1, 2021, Governor J.B. Pritzker re-issued and amended Executive Order 2020-47 to provide more flexibility to preK-12 schools seeking to offer full-time in-person instruction. The order allows...more
6/8/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Masks ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
School Closures ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Vaccinations
President Joe Biden has made returning kids to in-person learning a priority in his first 100 days, promising that guidance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) would help schools safely meet that goal. The...more
COVID-19 saliva tests have been used as one tool to slow the spread of coronavirus—notably on college campuses. Soon, several saliva tests will be available to K-12 schools. The availability of such tests prompts several...more
The number of schools, colleges, and universities with students who test positive for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) is on the rise. Do you know what information you can—and cannot—share with members of your community and public...more