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New guidance issued this week by the Illinois Department of Public Health (“IDPH”) provides clarity on the role local health departments play in helping schools combat the spread of COVID-19 as they return to hybrid or full in-person instruction. While school districts should maintain consistent and open communication with their local health departments, here are…

Recently, our firm issued a Priority Briefing regarding how schools should respond if and when staff or students test positive for COVID-19 or present with COVID-19 symptoms. On August 12 and 13, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued new guidance on these issues. Although much of the information remains the same, the new…

You may recall that we recently reported on the amendments to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The amendments to Title IX became final on May 6, 2020 and must be followed by school districts beginning today, August 14, 2020. The amendments, among many other things, accomplished the following: Changed the timeline for…

As school districts open for full time in-person instruction and/or blended-remote learning, they will undoubtedly have staff and students test positive for COVID-19 or arrive at school with related symptoms. It is therefore imperative that school districts understand current public health guidelines for how to handle these situations, including who should be sent home, when…

On July 29, two major changes were announced for the sporting community due to COVID-19. Governor Pritzker announced a new set of guidance for all youth and adult recreational sports. That guidance placed different sports into specific categories based on the level of risk attributed to them (high, medium, or low). It also set type…

On June 23, 2020, the Illinois State Board of Education (“ISBE”), in conjunction with the Illinois Department of Public Health (“IDPH”) issued guidance on the return to in-person learning for the 2020-21 school year. As part of that guidance, ISBE and IDPH require that all individuals over the age of two wear a face covering…

Last month, Governor Pritzker signed Public Act 101-633 into law. As we previously reported, this new law permits a school district employee who does not provide “instructional, research, or principal administrative services” (e.g. a 9 or 10 month custodian, paraprofessional, cafeteria worker, bus driver, or clerical worker) to receive unemployment benefits for any week of…

The Illinois High School Association (“IHSA”) has developed Stage 2 guidelines for student-athletes to begin participating in athletics. These guidelines, developed by the IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, are awaiting approval by the Illinois Department of Public Health and include the specific requirements schools need to implement moving forward. As of June 6, 2020, the…

On June 22, 2020, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) issued Frequently Asked Questions Guidance regarding timelines and procedures for State complaints, resolution meetings, mediations, and special education due process hearings. According to OSEP, the sixty day timeline for state complaint resolution may not be categorically extended due to COVID-19, but the State Board…

On June 18, 2020, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1569 into law as Public Act 101-643. This law makes numerous changes to the Illinois School Code and codifies many school-related provisions from Governor Pritzker’s executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic. This Priority Briefing highlights some of the law’s most impactful sections. Remote Learning Days…