Attorneys Michael P. McKeon, Mark J. Sommaruga and Melinda B. Kaufmann of Pullman & Comley’s School Law Practice presented at the firm’s semi-annual Special Education Legal Issues Forum on May 5, 2017, at the offices of the Connecticut Association of Schools (“CAS”). Our firm is proud to be a partner with CAS. The May 5th program…
We had written earlier about the proposed bills that the General Assembly’s Education Committee voted favorably on and advanced out of committee at its March 8, 2017 meeting. The Committee subsequently voted favorably on a bevy of bills. The following is summary of these bills. STATE AID, GRANTS AND COST SHARING: It goes without saying…
We earlier had written on Working Together about the proposed bills that the General Assembly’s Labor and Public Employees Committee voted favorably on and advanced out of committee at its February 21, 2017 and March 2, 2017 meetings. On March 9th, the Committee acted just ahead of its March 14, 2017 deadline and approved the…
The General Assembly’s Education Committee is beginning the process of approving bills. The following is a listing (with a brief description) of the proposed bills that Education Committee voted favorably on and advanced out of committee at its March 8, 2017 meeting: H.B. No. 7157 AN ACT CONCERNING ONLINE AND BLENDED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS…
A lot of heat is emanating from Washington D.C. over enforcement of laws concerning “undocumented” immigrants. Especially controversial is the possibility of greater action by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement [“ICE”] bureau, including bureau agents making visits to the schools. This battle has led to competing visions, with Governor Malloy and Commissioner Wentzell issuing…
Pullman & Comley’s School Law Practice will host its third annual statewide School Law Seminar, “Learning Together: Recent Developments in the Law and Practical Solutions for Connecticut’s Public Schools” on March 3, 2017. This half-day program will cover trends in collective bargaining, student expulsions, special education, recent developments regarding school district job applications and other hot topics facing…
On January 4, the 2017 session of the Connecticut General Assembly began. The session is scheduled to adjourn on June 7, 2017. One can assume that a plethora of proposed bills affecting Connecticut school districts will be unleashed during the session, most of which will never see the light of day. The Education Committee will be…
Attorneys Michael P. McKeon, Mark J. Sommaruga and Melinda B. Kaufmann of Pullman & Comley’s School Law Practice hosted the firm’s semi-annual Special Education Legal Issues Forum on October 28, 2016, at The Hartford Club. This dynamic program is designed specifically for school district special education leaders and professionals and covers current legal developments affecting this…
As we have previously written, the United States Departments of Education and Justice issued joint guidance for school districts regarding transgender students via a May 13, 2016 “Dear Colleague Letter.” This guidance was based on their interpretation of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which is a federal law prohibiting gender-based discrimination in…
On September 7, 2016, Superior Court Judge Thomas G. Moukawsher issued a lengthy decision in Connecticut Coalition for Justice in Education Funding v. Rell. As its name would suggest, this case involved a challenge to inequities in educational funding in the State of Connecticut. But the court’s ruling has led to far broader consequences (and…
