Posted by John R. Price on

We at OSBA get a lot of questions about board vacancies. This topic is tricky because often board vacancies happen unexpectedly or under less-than-ideal circumstances, and the timing requirements under RC 3313.11 can be awkward. The first step is to recognize when a vacancy occurs, so that the board can ensure that it acts within the applicable timelines. Board vacancies occur when a member resigns, moves out of the district, is removed from office, passes away or otherwise becomes ineligible to hold the office. For…

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Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on

In this week’s Legal Ledger Sidebar, Jennie and John talk about some of the key aspects of the newly released  Title IX regulations. More information about the new regulations…

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Posted by Sara C. Clark on

On April 15, 2024, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) issued its final regulations

Posted by John R. Price on

Under Ohio’s Open Meetings Act, boards and other public bodies are permitted to enter executive session to discuss specific topics spelled out in the law. In essence, executive session is a built-in exception to the general requirement that public bodies conduct their deliberations in public. This provision recognizes that the nature of certain topics makes privacy and discretion in deliberations paramount.

The need for and…

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Posted by Sara C. Clark on

Access to student records
A board member’s access to student records may be limited under federal law. The Family Educational Rights and…

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Posted by John R. Price on

In today’s Legal Ledger Sidebar, Sara Clark and John Price discuss committees and subcommittees, which is a topic that comes up frequently for our members. Specifically, they discuss when committees are required to comply with the Open Meetings Act and what that means.

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Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on

The last budget bill, House Bill 33, made significant changes to public education in Ohio. Over the last few months, OSBA’s legal division has been sharing information and resources developed by the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) to implement those changes. One of those resources, a …

Posted by Sara C. Clark on

As we approach the March 19 primary election, we’ve started receiving more calls on the legal hotline about the ability of board members and district employees to engage in political activities.

Posted by John R. Price on

In the most recent OSBA Legal Ledger Sidebar, Sara Clark and Jennifer Hardin discuss voting at school board meetings, including quorum, specific requirements for votes, method of voting and executive sessions.

For more…

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Posted by Jennifer A. Hardin on

Earlier this week, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education issued new guidance documents on Section 504 (Sec. 504) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Sec. 504 prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities by public schools and other institutions receiving federal funds.  The four new guidance documents provide assistance to school districts on Sec. 504 rights of students with specific conditions.