Section 11(i) of the FOIA provides “If a person seeking the right to inspect or receive a copy of a public record prevails in a proceeding under this Section, the court shall award such person reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.” […]
Illinois Supreme Court Rules Educational Employers Are Not Required to Arbitrate “Do Not Hire” Designation
January 15, 2016
When the Chicago Board of Education refused to arbitrate grievances concerning its “do not hire” policy, it did not violate the Illinois Educational Labor Relations Act according to the Illinois Supreme Court. This case arises out of a June 2010 policy in […]
School Boards Beware: Appellate Court Applies High Bar for School Board Ignoring Hearing Officer’s Findings of Fact
January 6, 2016
The Illinois Appellate Court (Fifth District) recently reversed a school board’s decision to dismiss a tenured teacher for failure to comply with a notice to remedy. This case confirms that while school boards have considerable discretion under Section 24-12 of […]
Last year, an Illinois Circuit Court overturned a Public Access Counselor opinion that found that the Board of Education of Springfield School District No. 186 violated the Open Meetings Act when it voted on the separation agreement of the former […]
Out with the Old and In with the New: President Obama Replaces No Child Left Behind with the Every Student Succeeds Act
December 15, 2015
After a controversial 13-year reign, the No Child Left Behind Act (“NCLB”) has come to an end. Last Thursday, after a bipartisan vote of 85-12 the day before in the U.S. Senate, President Obama signed into law the Every Student […]
OSERS Issues Special Education Guidance
December 9, 2015
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS), part of the United States Department of Education, recently issued two Dear Colleague letters, one related to students with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia, and one related to aligning IEP goals with state academic […]
ISBE Issues Guidance on Teacher Resignations
November 12, 2015
The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has issued non-regulatory guidance regarding the application of Section 24-14 of the Illinois School Code to teacher resignations. Section 24-14 of the School Code provides that a teacher “who has entered into contractual continued service” […]
On August 24, 2015, Governor Rauner signed into law Public Act 99-456. The Act requires school districts and charter schools to overhaul their discipline policies and is aimed at reducing the incidence of out-of-school suspensions and expulsions. The new requirements take […]