Last week, at an excellent and well-attended ATIXA conference at which I had the honor of speaking, ATIXA leadership reported hearing hints that the U.S. Department of Education intends to drop the new Title IX regulations at or near Thanksgiving. […]
Court Decision Reminds School Boards of the Importance of “Sunshine” in Guaranteed Energy Savings and Other Construction Contracts
November 5, 2019
In a recent Illinois Appellate Court decision, a taxpayer unsuccessfully challenged a school district’s guaranteed energy savings contract. School Board members should be aware of this decision because the favorable outcome for the District hinged on the significant notice and […]
Illinois Appellate Court Requires School Board to Pay for Services Rendered Under an Invalid Construction Contract
November 5, 2019
A recent Illinois Appellate Court case appears to have closed a loophole through which some school districts and other public entities have avoided liability for work performed by construction companies under invalid contracts. Although the Illinois Supreme Court has agreed […]
DOL Proposes Rule to Make Bonus and Incentive Pay Compatible With Fluctuating Workweek
November 5, 2019
On November 5, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor published a proposed rule that would make it easier for some employers to apply the “Fluctuating Workweek” method of calculating overtime pay for certain non-exempt employees. Background For those not familiar with the […]
NCAA: Student Athletes May be Paid for Names, Images, and Likenesses
October 30, 2019
On Tuesday, the Board of Governors of the NCAA unanimously voted to reverse its longstanding policy by permitting students participating in athletics to benefit from the use of their names, images, and likenesses in licensing and broadcast. The decision was […]
Gender Identity and Special Education
October 24, 2019
With the number of students who identify as gender non-conforming on the rise, many educators have questions regarding the supports and services that may be available to such students. This year at IAASE, Jennifer Smith and John Swinney addressed this […]
Last month, the Illinois Supreme Court granted a petition for leave to appeal the Illinois Appellate Court’s decision in Dynak v. Board of Education of Woodale School District 7, 2019 IL App (2d) 180551, which held that a school district […]
A recent Illinois Appellate Court decision highlights the importance of keeping a complete record of board proceedings that are subject to judicial review. In Board of Education of Kewanee School District 229 v. The Regional Board of School Trustees, the […]