A new school year is a great time to reset, build on last year’s success, and reflect on areas ripe for improvement. In the excitement of beginning the 2024-2025 school year, please keep in mind the importance of instituting best practices when it comes to documenting interactions with personnel and students alike. Proper documentation procedures […]
Read moreHouse Bill 3 brings major changes to school safety, specifically requiring districts to strengthen active shooter policies and safety plans. Effective September 1, 2023, it is imperative that districts begin to review the new requirements of HB 3 to ensure policies and procedures are compliant in time for the upcoming school year. Security Officers/Facility Safety […]
Read more
by Mattie Tullos, Law Clerk Effective September 1, 2023, the recently passed House Bill 3033 will alter the processes and procedures surrounding the Public Information Act, most notably regarding how to count the days following a public information request. As the bill reads currently, a governmental body that receives an information request must respond to […]
Read moreIn July of 2022, the U.S. Department of Education (“Department”) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) to amend its regulations implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Department received over 240,000 public comments on the proposed Title IX rules. At this time, the Department is considering and reviewing the comments prior […]
Read moreA judge recently issued an important ruling in a citizen’s 2021 lawsuit against a Texas school district regarding board policies and operating procedures addressing the parameters of public comment during school board meetings. In August 2021, a citizen addressed a district’s board of trustees during the public comment portion of the open meeting. While offering […]
Read moreOn Friday, February 17, 2023, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights released new Title IX resources released to support equal opportunity in athletic programs. This included the following two publications: Supporting Equal Opportunity in School Athletic Programs: A Resource for Students and Families PDF Title IX and Athletic Opportunities in K-12 Schools: […]
Read moreOn December 7, 2022, Governor Greg Abbott ordered all Texas state agencies to ban the use of TikTok on any government-issued devices. In his letter to state agencies, Abbott ordered every state agency in Texas to ban its officers and employees from downloading or using TikTok on any of its government-issued devices. The TikTok ban […]
Read moreOn October 24, 2022, the Eastern District of Texas overruled a school district’s objections to the Report and Recommendation of a magistrate judge denying the district’s motion to dismiss. Ultimately, the court ruled that coaches may be “appropriate persons” with actual knowledge satisfying one element of a Title IX complaint. A Brownsboro ISD student, through […]
Read moreOctober brings Fall weather, changing leaves, and a bit of chaos on the student discipline front. Homecoming festivities and other school-sponsored events may trigger an uptick in allegations of student-on-student sexual misconduct. When a school employee receives notice of a potential Title IX issue, the District must respond with immediate and swift action so as not […]
Read moreSenate Bill 797, enacted in August of 2022, requires public elementary and secondary schools to display in a conspicuous place in each building of the school or institution a durable poster or framed copy of the United States national motto, “In God We Trust.” The signs must be donated or purchased with private funds and […]
Read more