A common problem for boards of education is getting enough members in attendance at a board meeting in order to have a quorum (usually, a majority of the board). There may be times when a board member wishes to participate in the board’s business (and vote) at a particular meeting, but the member may be…
Connecticut’s Freedom of Information Act (“FOIA”) generally provides access to both meetings and records of public agencies. The FOIA does provide an exception to the open meetings requirements for certain “personnel matters,” namely, discussions “concerning the appointment, employment, performance, evaluation, health or dismissal of a public officer or employee, provided that such individual may require…
On August 1, 2018, our firm posted on its website a summary of relevant legislation enacted by the Connecticut General Assembly during its 2018 regular session that will impact Connecticut schools. Among other things, the General Assembly passed bills that: (1) revise the Student Data Privacy Act; (2) address budgetary issues stemming from attempts at…
As was discussed in our prior blog post and alert, the U.S. Supreme Court in Janus v. AFSCME, 585 U.S. ____ (June 27, 2018) just issued a ground breaking decision with respect to the collection of agency fees from non-union members, holding that the involuntary withholding of such monies violates the First Amendment “free speech”…
On Thursday, March 8, 2018, the General Assembly’s Education Committee will conduct a public hearing on the following proposed bills: S.B. No. 364 AN ACT CONCERNING SPECIAL EDUCATION FUNDING. This bill would lower the special education “excess cost” grant threshold from four and one-half times to two times the average per pupil educational costs of…
In the aftermath of another senseless and tragic school shooting, school districts are understandably looking inwards as they contemplate the need to adjust their security measures. I am frequently asked how school districts can consider their options while still complying with the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act [“FOIA”]. Fortunately, the FOIA contains protections for schools…
We have previously written in these pages about the development of “guidelines” or “standards” by the State Board of Education for the provision of educational opportunities for expelled students. Click here to read Part 1 & Part 2. Having had just a (teeny) little bit of time to ponder the final version of these guidelines, which were…
In 2017, our firm published a summary of new legislation affecting Connecticut’s schools and public sector employers. http://www.pullcom.com/news-publications-929.html However, the 2017 “regular session” of the Connecticut General Assembly was not the final word. Due to the absence of a state budget, the General Assembly had to convene a “special session” and it was not until…
Attorneys Michael P. McKeon, Mark J. Sommaruga and Melinda B. Kaufmann of Pullman & Comley’s School Law Practice will be presenting at the firm’s semi-annual Special Education Legal Issues Forum on October 27, 2017 (registration and breakfast 7:30 AM – 8:00 AM; program 8:00 AM- 12:00 PM) at the offices of the Connecticut Association of Schools…
In 2016, Connecticut’s General Assembly passed Public Act 16-147: AN ACT CONCERNING THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE JUVENILE JUSTICE POLICY AND OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. This Act made several changes to school discipline laws which were to take effect on August 15, 2017. Most dramatically, the Act significantly increased the amount of instruction to be delivered to expelled…
