School Law Bullet

Many school districts and charter schools rely on fundraising activities for clubs and sports that involve the sale of food and beverages, but that practice may need to be curtailed under new guidance from PDE requiring more creative fundraising or selling of healthier foods. The USDA has issued nutrition standards for all foods that are sold on school grounds during the school day, commonly … [Read more...] about PDE Limits Fundraisers That Don’t Comply With Smart Snack Standards

In a major shift, the federal government is now going to evaluate the effectiveness of states’ programs for their special education students based on student success. Under a new framework known as Results-Driven Accountability, the U.S. Department of Education will now take educational results for students with disabilities into consideration when evaluating each state’s compliance with the … [Read more...] about Testing Special Education

In the wake of heightened awareness – and much publicity -- of campus security crises in recent years, the federal government has responded with far-reaching expansion of existing laws. Will these new requirements ensure campus safety? Time will tell. But the clock is ticking as deadlines loom for colleges to show at least a “good faith effort’ that they are doing all they can to revise policies … [Read more...] about Department of Education Invites Comments on Clery Act Changes

As a California wildfire, the California Superior Court’s recent decision in Vergara v. State of California, et. al., is likely to be catching and may have resounding implications on similar laws in Pennsylvania. Tenure Arguably May Limit Education In Vergara, nine California public school students, funded by a Silicon Valley millionaire, argued that California’s teacher tenure, dismissal, and … [Read more...] about CA Superior Court Rules Tenure Laws Unconstitutional … Could PA Be Next?

As the deadline to enroll kindergarten students for next school year approaches, parents and schools are on notice that kindergarten students are subject to compulsory school attendance. On June 16, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed that parents of kindergarten students must comply with compulsory attendance laws. Facts in the Case In this case, the parent enrolled her twin 5-year-old … [Read more...] about Pennsylvania Supreme Court Says Kindergarten Students Must Attend School

On June 12, 2014, the Charter School Law celebrated its 17-year anniversary, following calls for legislative reform of its most fundamental flaws. Senate Bill 1316 and House Bill 2138, both tabled this month, would, among other things, revamp the funding for charter school education, consistent with the actual cost of special education. Following the proposal of both bills, in May 2014, the … [Read more...] about The Auditor General Calls for a “Tune Up” of the Charter School Law