School leaders have always served a crucial role in communities, and we can’t imagine anyone managing the Coronavirus crisis without them. In this episode, our regular attorney panelists Shelli Anderson, Nicki Bazer, Jennifer...more
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) updated its COVID-19 FAQ and Exclusion Guidance last week. As we previously reported, the IDPH released Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) for schools in August to supplement but...more
Section 50.100 of the ISBE teacher evaluation regulations requires that teachers who are to be evaluated during the upcoming school term be notified that they will be evaluated and provided with certain information regarding...more
On August 12, 2020, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued a “Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)” for Schools.” In a statement by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) to stakeholders that same day, ISBE...more
8/14/2020
/ Contact Tracing ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Health and Safety ,
IDEA ,
Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
ISBE ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Section 504 ,
Special Education ,
State Health Departments ,
Students
Yesterday Judge Roger Thomson of the Eighth Judicial Circuit dismissed a lawsuit against the Quincy Public Schools seeking to overturn the District’s directive that students wear face coverings and submit to daily temperature...more
On June 25, 2020, we issued a frequently asked questions document, “40 Answers to Your Phase 4 Questions: Practical FAQs on ISBE’s Phase 4 School Reopening Guidance,” clarifying ISBE and IDPH joint guidance for Phase 4 school...more
On June 23, 2020, the Illinois State Board of Education (“ISBE”) and the Illinois Department of Public Health (“IDPH”) released a guidance document addressing return to school during Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois Plan this...more
6/29/2020
/ Best Practices ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
ISBE ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
School Closures ,
Social Distancing ,
Students ,
Workplace Safety
The Illinois Appellate Court recently affirmed the dismissal of a tenured fifth-grade teacher accused of intentionally breaking the seals on standardized test booklets to help students cheat on the test....more
By executive order on June 4, 2020, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker authorized all public and nonpublic preK-12 schools the state to reopen after the completion of the 2019-2020 school term for limited educational purposes...more
The Illinois General Assembly was busy during its recent special session, passing a number of bills addressing important concerns for local governments and schools during the COVID-19 public health crisis....more
On August 27, 2019, Governor Pritzker signed into law Public Act 101-0591, which added Section 24A-5.5 to the School Code. Section 24A-5.5 requires school districts to create an appeals process for teachers who receive...more
Spring break abroad, prom, senior night, senior breakfast, baccalaureate, awards night, and walking across the stage at graduation in front of faculty, family, and friends. The list of events that Illinois high school seniors...more
Earlier today, April 24, 2020, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-31 relaxing a wide number of requirements impacting schools and community colleges. ...more
The Illinois Supreme Court ruled in Dynak v. Board of Education of Wooddale School District 7 that a teacher’s use of paid sick leave for the birth of a child must be taken during the six-week period immediately following the...more
As we previously reported, on March 27, 2020, the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the Governor issued several resource documents that address changes to the remote learning landscape in Illinois schools during...more
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) updated its Mandatory Statewide School Closure Guidance for Illinois Schools and School Districts yesterday for the fourth time since the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019...more
Although Act of God days between March 17 and March 30 will not be made up and are not instructional days, “the employer can expect school district employees to participate in work activities,” including stipend work, “in...more
Governor JB Pritzker’s recent order that all K-12 schools in Illinois be closed between March 17 and March 30 has left school districts scrambling to prepare to close school tomorrow. On Saturday, March 14, ISBE updated its...more
3/17/2020
/ Act of God ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Educational Institutions ,
IEA ,
Infectious Diseases ,
ISBE ,
Public Health ,
School Closures ,
School Districts ,
Special Education ,
Students ,
Wage and Hour
Since the first reported case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019, school districts in Illinois have been preparing for a potential outbreak within the state. In so doing, school...more
3/12/2020
/ Absenteeism ,
Best Practices ,
China ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Crisis Management ,
Educational Institutions ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Risk Management ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Workplace Safety
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a statement yesterday reminding schools, colleges, and universities of their responsibilities to address discrimination and harassment based on race and...more
3/5/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Anti-Retaliation Provisions ,
Best Practices ,
Civil Rights Act ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Disability Discrimination ,
Educational Institutions ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
Harassment ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
National Origin Discrimination ,
OCR ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Public Health ,
Race Discrimination ,
Risk Management ,
Students ,
Title IX ,
Title VII
With the end of the school year slowly approaching, remember that any recommendations to non-renew a probationary teacher’s employment for the next school year must likely be acted upon at the board’s March or April meeting. ...more
The Illinois Supreme Court recently heard oral argument in a case addressing restrictions on school district employee sick leave for the birth of a child under Section 24-6 of the Illinois School Code. ...more
A recent Illinois State Board of Education hearing officer decision upheld the dismissal of a tenured teacher who engaged in off-topic rants in the classroom, stored pornographic images on a district laptop, and refused to...more
2/6/2020
/ Educational Institutions ,
Employee Misconduct ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Fitness for Duty Exams ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Mental Health ,
Professional Disciplinary Actions ,
Required Documentation ,
Risk Management ,
Teachers ,
Tenure
In a recent decision, the Appellate Court of Illinois rejected a school board’s decision to terminate a tenured teacher for misconduct despite a hearing officer’s finding that there was insufficient evidence of cause for...more
1/22/2020
/ Adverse Employment Action ,
Appeals ,
Board of Education ,
Defense Strategies ,
Disciplinary Proceedings ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Litigation ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Insubordination Policy ,
Public Schools ,
School Boards ,
Teachers ,
Tenure ,
Wrongful Termination
Decisions on reductions in force in school districts are not common in Illinois, so a recent opinion from the Fourth District Appellate Court warrants brief mention. The issue in a recent case, Nafziger v. Board of Education...more