Federal Funding Uncertainties Send PA Budget Talks into Limbo - State lawmakers are struggling to agree on funding priorities in time to meet the budget deadline of June 30 as federal uncertainties in transit, education, and...more
As the academic year is now wrapping up, we hope that the final weeks of school have been relatively stress free, and that our clients are now looking forward to some slower summer days. Here at Franczek, we have continued to...more
In a one-sentence, 4-to-4 per curiam decision, the Supreme Court upheld the Oklahoma Supreme Court's ruling that approval of a religious school's participation in the state's charter school program would violate the...more
On May 22, 2025, the United States Supreme Court issued a one-sentence order affirming the judgment of the Oklahoma Supreme Court in the consolidated cases of Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, and St....more
On Thursday, May 22, the Supreme Court of the United States issued two decisions: Kousisis v. United States, No. 23-909: This case addresses the elements of the federal wire fraud statute, 18 U.S.C. § 1343....more
Yesterday, an evenly divided 4–4 U.S. Supreme Court, with Justice Barrett having recused herself, decided in Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond to leave in place the holding of the Oklahoma Supreme Court...more
Welcome to our fourth issue of The Academic Advisor for 2025. In this edition, we cover the following topics of interest for schools, institutions of higher education, and other education-focused organizations: - How a...more
On April 30, 2025, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the consolidated cases of Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond and St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond. If the...more
Today, the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR) stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the likes of the Office of Inspector General and Office of General Counsel, one of just a dozen or so agencies reporting directly to the secretary....more
On March 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order (“EO”) titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities,” directing the Secretary of Education to undertake all...more
Esperanza Academy Charter School v. The School District of Philadelphia, 2024 WL 4875053 (Pa.Cmwlth. 2024). (Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court held that school districts’ deductions of federal grant expenditures from charter...more
On Jan. 29, 2025, President Donald Trump signed the “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling” executive order (EO) and the “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families” EO, directing federal agencies to...more
Some of us measure our year in weeks, months, or, for the readers of this article, likely by the school calendar. The Supreme Court, however, has its own measurement. The Court operates, hears cases, and issues rulings each...more
On January 24, 2025, the United States Supreme Court granted two petitions for certiorari in the cases of Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond and St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond,...more
On January 24, 2025, the Court granted certiorari in three cases: Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School v. Drummond, Nos. 24-394, 24-396: These consolidated...more
On January 9, 2025, a federal court in Kentucky vacated the 2024 Title IX regulations that had been adopted by the U.S. Department of Education and which have been in effect since August 1, 2024. (Tennessee v. Cardona (E.D....more
SEC to Charter Schools: Avoid these risks when you engage your financing team - If you’ve financed a school facility – or you’re thinking about it – the SEC is watching (out for) you and the financing team you hire. They’ve...more
The SEC is reminding charter schools to seek advice on municipal securities only from registered municipal advisors. A bulletin from the SEC’s Office of Municipal Securities and Division of Enforcement’s Public Finance Abuse...more
By law, public schools in the United States must provide services and support for students with special needs. However, some families find that an alternative to public schooling, known as microschools, better suits their...more
PDE PUBLISHES 2022–2023 REPORT OF EXPENDITURES RELATING TO EXCEPTIONAL PENNSYLVANIA STUDENTS - Act 16 of 2000, in part, amended Section 1372 of the Public School Code of 1949, and it requires the Pennsylvania Department of...more
A law signed on Monday by Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro allocates $100 million to the School Safety & Mental Health grant program that can be used by schools to purchase secure, lockable smartphone bags students will use to...more
Starting in the upcoming 2024-25 school year, new requirements are going into effect for elementary school recess in California, including at charter schools. These changes will impact public schools that offer recess in...more
On June 20, 2024, New York’s highest court confirmed that school districts (outside of New York City) are not required to provide transportation on days their schools are not in session....more
In this episode of On Record PR, Gina Rubel goes on record with Patricia Hennessy, Partner at Barton Gilman, to discuss the wide range of legal tools education lawyers employ to serve the needs of children. Pat is co-chair of...more
The state of New Jersey has enacted a groundbreaking law granting public charter schools and renaissance schools access to low-interest financing through the Public Charter and Renaissance School Facilities Loan Program. This...more