Leading in a Lonely World Podcast: Meet Jamie Pagliaro, a Leader Who has Made His “Passion” for Helping Others His Life’s Work
Top 10 Actions (or Inactions), that Spur Special Education Impartial Hearing Requests for School Districts
Commonwealth Court voids Pennsylvania Department of Education’s newly imposed Age-Out Plan for failure to implement it in accordance with Pennsylvania Laws.* PSBA, Inc., et al. v. Dr. Khalid N. Mumin, Secretary of Education...more
The following is a brief description of acts that were passed during the 2024 Session of the Connecticut General Assembly that may be of interest to Connecticut school leaders. ...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
ISBE released a guidance document on residential placements, Guidance on PA 95-0844 and PA 95-0938. The document answers frequently asked questions related to residential placements of general education and special education...more
On May 23, 2024, Senate Bill 3606 (“SB 3606”) passed both houses. If signed into law by Governor Pritzker, SB 3606 will amend the Children with Disabilities Article of the Illinois School Code to provide for expanded state...more
On May 16, 2024, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court overturned a Pennsylvania Department of Education (“PDE”) regulation stating special education students are entitled to a free and appropriate public education until the...more
District Court dismisses IDEA claim because plaintiffs failed to exhaust administrative remedies under the IDEA for education-centric claim even though plaintiffs sought money damages....more
Governor Josh Shapiro recently announced that the proposed 2024-2025 budget for the Pennsylvania Department of Education includes a $1,436,815,000 special education appropriation....more
Third Circuit affirms lower court finding that a school district did not violate the IDEA or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Zachary J. through Jonathan and Jennifer J. of Lafayette Hill, PA v. Colonial Sch. Dist.,...more
As we approach the new year, Franczek is pleased to recap the new legislation applicable to K-12 schools that passed in 2023. Below you will find our compilation of this year’s legislative changes. A PDF version of the 2023...more
Dale McClendon v. The School District of Philadelphia, 2023 WL 4237080 (E.D. Pa 2023). (Federal court held that a school district was subject to due process and breach of contract claims for the manner in which it completed a...more
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) makes public education available to children with disabilities ages 3 to 21. The U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES) reports that 7.3...more
Harris Beach has a team of four attorneys paying close attention to issues and news in the special education arena. Based on their knowledge of the field, they have assembled a list of issues for school districts, special...more
As school districts around the Commonwealth embark on the 2023-24 school year, the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) has sprung a surprise by issuing direction that local educational entities (LEAs) must now provide...more
Starting this Fall, Ohio’s Dyslexia Law mandates that schools take a more holistic approach to dyslexia. For starters, school districts will have to screen all children in grades K-3 and students grades 4-6, if requested by...more
To follow-up on our annual School Law legislative update, over the next few weeks we will be highlighting and analyzing the most important developments from this year’s session of the General Assembly that Connecticut K-12...more
Last week Pullman & Comley released its annual comprehensive summary of legislation affecting Connecticut schools. Included here is our initial take on the key policy and procedural impacts as a result of this year’s...more
The 2023 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly concluded on June 7, 2023. The following is a brief description of acts that were passed by the General Assembly that may be of interest to Connecticut’s K-12...more
Under New York’s law and regulations, there are several well-settled guiding principles for physically interacting with students with disabilities: corporal punishment is prohibited; the use of aversive interventions has been...more
New York’s State Education Department recently issued a recommendation that school districts provide special education services to some students with disabilities through age 22: an additional year that will likely impact...more
The long-anticipated state biennial budget (Ohio House Bill 33) is headed to the Governor for approval. The Bill contains significant changes for Ohio schools; below is a summary of those changes. Also, be on the lookout for...more
School aged children lost much in the pandemic, including critical learning time in the classroom, social development, mental health, extracurricular activities, and much more. According to a 2023 study published in the...more
Recording and transcribing interviews can provide meaningful value to investigators and Title IX Coordinators – if you plan and prepare properly. Some practitioners swear by recording, and others swear at it. Rather than...more
As part of its ongoing efforts to increase inclusivity towards non-native English speakers in the academic setting, the Illinois State Board of Education amended its special education regulations to expand access to...more
The United States Supreme Court issued a decision in Perez v. Sturgis Public Schools, No. 21-887, opening the door for future claims against schools for compensatory monetary damages. In its unanimous opinion, the Supreme...more