As many of you are aware, significant winter weather is taking place across parts of Texas this weekend and into early next week. Along with this winter storm comes concerns regarding whether scheduled board meetings may be postponed and later convened due to hazardous conditions without violating the Texas Open Meetings Act. Under Texas Government […]
Read moreSenate Bill 11 Senate Bill 11 (“SB 11”) was passed in the 89th Legislative Session for the purpose of allowing districts to adopt a policy requiring every campus to allow students and staff to participate in a period of prayer and reading of religious texts (commonly referred to as the “Daily Prayer Period”). Parents would […]
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HB 1522, passed this summer, requires that meetings taking place after September 1, 2025, conform with new posting timelines. Previously, school board meetings had to be posted within 72 hours from the time of the meeting. The new law requires that “The notice of a meeting of a governmental body must be posted in a […]
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 moreFollowing the tragedy at Robb Elementary School, state educational leaders, legislators, and community members are seeking assurances from school districts across Texas regarding safety and security plans and procedures. The Texas House of Representatives Investigative Committee recently released a 77-page report detailing the Uvalde shooting and the extent to which the Uvalde ISD acted in […]
Read moreBelieve it or not, contract season is right around the corner. And, as you are no doubt aware, Texas Governor Abbott recently issued Executive Order GA-34. The Order, which goes into effect on March 10, 2021, removes the state-wide operating limits and mask mandate that have been (depending on your perspective) keeping the spread of […]
Read moreBy Heather Castillo Here at Leasor Crass, we are keeping a close eye on the bills being filed for the upcoming Texas legislative session which will either directly affect or have some impact on our clients. Filed on December 30, 2020, Senate Bill 272 really caught our attention. It requires a school district board of […]
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. Title IX: Questions and Answers Regarding the Final Rule Dean Micknal, Partner and Victoria Elliott, Associate On May 6, 2020, the US Department of Education issued an extensive update to the Title IX regulations […]
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 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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