House 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 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 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 moreOn April 22, 2020, the Attorney General provided additional guidance on the implementation of Texas Government Code §551.007. This section went into effect on September 1, 2019 and the sections addressed in the Opinion state: A governmental body shall allow each member of the public who desires to address the body regarding an item on […]
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Below are today’s updates regarding COVID-19 and its impact on Texas public schools. For additional resources, please visit our COVID-19 page. TEA Special Education and Special Populations Updates for the Week of April 20, 2020 Dean Micknal, Partner The Texas Education Agency reorganized its COVID-19 Support: Special Education webpage last week. The revised site, which […]
Read moreWe know that two new Family Medical Leave Act laws related to the COVID-19 pandemic went into effect on April 1, 2020, as follows: Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA) which extends Family and Medical Leave; and Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA) which provides for emergency paid sick leave for absences. These […]
Read moreBelow are today’s updates regarding COVID-19 and its impact on Texas public schools. For additional resources, please visit our COVID-19 page. TEA Special Education and Special Populations Updates for the Week of April 13, 2020 Dean Micknal, Partner The Texas Education Agency has continued to post and revise guidance regarding Special Education and Special Populations […]
Read moreBelow are today’s updates regarding COVID-19 and its impact on Texas public schools. For additional resources, please visit our COVID-19 page. Documenting Temporary SPED Services Dean Micknal, Partner; Victoria Elliott, Associate During the current pandemic, public school districts have an ongoing obligation to provide FAPE to students with disabilities. Therefore, district personnel need to attempt […]
Read moreTexas law prohibits collective bargaining and strikes by public employees, but it preserves the right to redress of grievances. Tex. Gov’t Code Ann. §617.005 provides: “This chapter does not impair the right of public employees to present grievances concerning their wages, hours of employment, or conditions of work either individually or through a representative that […]
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