An Illinois hearing officer recently took the rare step of requiring an elementary school district to pay for a former student’s entire high school tuition and related expenses at an out-of-state private boarding school for students with dyslexia as compensatory […]
Illinois Appellate Court Case Recognizes Limitations to Tort Immunity Act in Construction Context
The Local Governmental and Governmental Employees Tort Immunity Act (the “Act”) limits the liability of public bodies for claims of negligence, including in cases based on the performance of discretionary functions. A recent Illinois Appellate Court decision applicable to public […]
It has been just over a year since the New York Times published its first report regarding allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault against Hollywood rainmaker Harvey Weinstein. In the wake of the Times’ report, the social media usage […]
You’ve probably heard that Megyn Kelly is out at NBC for making comments about white people wearing blackface at Halloween. And just a few days ago, a first grade Iowa teacher, Megan Luloff, came under investigation from her school district for wearing blackface at […]
Does Your Technology Make the Grade with English Learners? New ED Guidance Can Help
The numbers of English learner (“EL”) students are rising throughout the country, even in small, rural districts. A similar rise has been seen in the use of technology in the classroom. Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced the release […]
Court Orders Governor’s Office to Turn over FOIA Policy
A recent Cook County court decision addressed a Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) request to Governor Bruce Rauner’s office, and shed some light on what “final” means for purposes of the “preliminary records” FOIA exemption. Specifically, the circuit court found […]
A flurry of recent news reports signals a marked change by the Trump administration of the Federal government’s approach toward the rights of transgender students in public education. What, if any, practical implications do these changes bring for public schools […]
During my recent time working at the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, I worked with the Federal Freedom of Information Act, which does not contain an unduly burdensome exemption. I certainly missed the days of working with the […]