The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has issued the following guidance concerning the calculation of business days under the Public Information Act (PIA) during the response to COVID-19: Holidays observed by the governmental body are not business days. Weekends are not business days. Skeleton crew days are not business days. A day on which […]
Read moreWe here at Leasor Crass know that school districts are faced with a number of issues related to the possible spread of COVID-19. The purpose of this guidance is to address some of the more common questions we have encountered. This guidance is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for obtaining legal […]
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We at Leasor Crass, P.C. understand that all districts in Texas are dealing with COVID-19 concerns. Below are several sites offering good information on the topic. Federal: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/schools-childcare/index.html https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus https://www.dol.gov/coronavirus https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic State: https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/safe-and-healthy-schools/coronavirus-covid-19-support-and-guidance https://www.dshs.texas.gov/coronavirus/ https://dshs.texas.gov/regions/default.shtm
Read moreA school district was found to have denied FAPE to a student when it failed to provide any IDEA services after the student was expelled from school for attacking another student. What is FAPE, under IDEA? Under IDEA, a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is special education and related services that: Are provided at public […]
Read moreThe 86th Legislature was hard at work this year drafting and pushing bills affecting school districts across Texas. One such bill you should be aware of may affect the way school districts handle the all too familiar Public Information Act request. Senate Bill 944 is effective September 1, 2019 and makes several changes to the […]
Read moreBy Victoria Elliott, Associate In a world where high school and college degrees are everything and hard work is often overlooked, students in special education or those students who struggle to pass end-of-year assessments are already at a disadvantage. In the past, these students could not graduate high school with an endorsement if they were […]
Read moreOn May 24, 2019, Attorney General Ken Paxton handed down an opinion, at the request of Commissioner of Education Mike Morath, providing some much needed clarity regarding “walking quorums” and the Texas Open Meetings Act (“the Act”). The Request for Opinion came after the Court of Criminal Appeals ruled in State v. Doyal that Section […]
Read moreIn addition to being ineffective, disciplining a student for conduct that is caused by, or has a direct and substantial relation to a student’s disability, constitutes disability-based discrimination. Further, subjecting a student to a disciplinary removal that is based on the student’s disability can deprive a student of a free, appropriate public education when it […]
Read moreThe Federal Commission on School Safety recently issued its Final Report. A copy of the full report can be accessed via the Commission’s website here. The Report has made early headlines primarily due to its criticism of the Obama Administration’s “Rethink School Discipline” guidance, which included rules targeting exclusionary discipline and requiring the application of […]
Read moreDid you know parents do not have a right to compel a school district to provide specific programming or employ specific methodology when teaching students with disabilities? According to a Special Education Hearing Officer’s interpretation of the IDEA, parents may provide meaningful input into the development of their child’s IEP, but are not entitled to […]
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