Posted by Sara Clark on

Earlier this week, a U.S. District Court judge for the Northern District of Texas, issued a preliminary injunction prohibiting the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Education from taking action to enforce their guidance letter on the rights of transgender students under Title IX.  For a summary of the federal guidance, please see our…

Posted by Megan Greulich on

With continuing concerns over Zika virus transmission, administrators may be left wondering how to handle a potential outbreak in the school setting. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently released a guidance document for schools. The document outlines appropriate planning and response for Zika virus in school districts. The document also includes general information about Zika virus and insights on roles and responsibilities of school officials in relation to both students and staff members.

In addition to…

Posted by Megan Greulich on

Earlier this week, the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) released a reminder to school districts related to the College Credit Plus (CCP) program. Ohio Administrative Code section 3333-1-65.5 requires Ohio to collect data about the CCP program. As a result, ODE has set a deadline of Friday, Aug. 12, for district submission this year. Districts can submit the requested information here by completing a six-question…

Posted by Sara Clark on

On an annual basis, the National School Board Association’s (NSBA) Office of General Counsel legal staff updates federal resources documents. NSBA recently updated the following documents for the 2016-2017 school year:

  • 2016 Annual Notices
    This chart describes some of the notices required by federal law and provides links to documents that may be used in writing such notices.
     
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Posted by Jennifer Hardin on

ODE news:  Every Student Succeeds Act webinars and stakeholder meetings and comment period for revisions to learning standards ending

As part of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), the Ohio Department of Education (ODE) is required to create a Student Success Plan.  The plan will describe how local, state and federal programs are aligned.  ODE is inviting school board members, district employees, teachers, parents and any other interested parties to attend one of ten stakeholder meetings to share ideas for the development of the Student…

Posted by Jennifer Hardin on

On Thursday, the Ohio Supreme Court issued a ruling in State ex rel. School Choice Ohio, Inc. v. Cincinnati Pub. School Dist. [Cincinnati Public School District was dismissed as a respondent in this case when it entered into a settlement agreement with SCO.]

In October 2013, School Choice Ohio (SCO) submitted a public records request to Springfield City School District, requesting:

  1. Student’s and parent’s/guardian’s name,
  2. Parent’s/guardian's complete address and email address…
Posted by Sara Clark on

The maintenance, destruction and preservation of public records is an important and technical process. Under Ohio law, public records must be kept and maintained so that the public may access those records. Records must be retained for certain periods of time, sometimes permanently, depending upon the type of record.

While most records today are born digital, many public sector agencies are still pressed with issues of storing, retrieving and managing the paper-based records in their possession. At OSBA, we are hearing from more school…

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Posted by Megan Greulich on

Are you taking advantage of the seminars and workshops offered by OSBA? The legal division is planning several workshops and seminars this fall, and we’d love to see you in attendance. Here are the upcoming workshops:

Attendance, Tuition and Custody Law – August 5, 2016

Attendance and tuition matters are complex, and the laws addressing them change frequently. How your district handles these matters affects your district’s bottom line. Learn the latest legal developments at this information-packed seminar. The seminar will take place at the Nationwide…

Posted by Jennifer Hardin on

On June 10, 2016, the Ohio Ethics Commission (OEC) issued Advisory Opinion No. 2016-01, considering whether a city council member can be employed as director of a nonprofit corporation that receives financial support from the city.  While the opinion specifically discusses city officials, its conclusions also apply to elected and appointed school board and educational service center (ESC) governing board members.   

As applied to school board or ESC governing board members (school officials), the…

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Posted by Megan Greulich on

House Bill (HB) 64 created the OSCES, which required, among other things, that the State Board of Education (SBOE) develop a standards-based framework for the evaluation of school counselors by May 31. At its April meeting, the SBOE adopted the framework, which may be adjusted as needed. Not unlike the other evaluation systems, revisions will be necessary to provide additional…

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