Priority Briefings

On March 30, 2020, the Student Privacy Policy Office of the U.S. Department of Education held a webinar to address privacy concerns regarding remote learning.  A copy of the Power Point can be accessed here: https://studentprivacy.ed.gov/resources/ferpa-and-virtual-learning-during-covid-19 During the webinar, the U.S. DOE noted that: Teachers and related service providers may take home student records, and…

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, employers, including school districts and joint agreements, will be (or already have been) faced with employees who request sick days or leave related to COVID-19. In these ever-changing times, it is important for employers to protect their workplace and employees from COVID-19 to the best of their ability, while also…

On March 21, 2020, the Office for Civil Rights and Office for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services issued a Supplemental Fact Sheet regarding the provision of services to students with disabilities while addressing COVID-19 risks.  The fact sheet addresses concerns about using distance education and addresses special education timelines under the Individuals with Disabilities Education…

While many court appearances and deadlines have been postponed or delayed as a result of the Coronavirus, many government-imposed deadlines applicable to school districts and joint agreements remain in effect, including the deadline for filing statements of economic interest. As of right now, this deadline has not been changed, and statements of economic interest must…

President Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act on March 18, 2020. The Act includes paid emergency sick leave and FMLA leave in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Act applies to all public sector employers, including school districts and joint agreements, and any private employer with 500 or fewer employees; however,…

The Illinois State Board of Education has issued guidance on complying with special education mandates during school closure due to the coronavirus. Below is a summary of the March 17, 2020 Guidance. Special education timelines remain in place, but days the school is closed do not count as “school days.” ISBE indicates that “Act of…

The Illinois State Board of Education made a few significant revisions to its proposed regulations regarding isolated time-out, time-out and physical restraint (the “Proposed Rules”),  in response to 310 letters of public comments. The Proposed Rules are not yet effective, but will be submitted for a Second Hearing and publication in the Illinois Register after…

In December 2019, the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Education issued joint guidance on the application of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act(FERPA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996(HIPAA) to student health records.  The newly issued guidance updates the departments’ most…

The Illinois State Board of Education has issued Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions on the Emergency Regulations for the Use of Time out and Physical Restraint, dated December, 2019, responding to questions about the Emergency Rules (effective November 20, 2019 and amended with regard to prone and supine restraint on December 4, 2019). Some highlights…

On December 20, 2019, Governor Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1784 into law – creating Public Act 101-0620. Among other effects, the Public Act amends the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act and Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act to include provisions impacting union members’ dues deduction authorizations. The Act, which took effect immediately, is the Illinois legislature’s…