The Connecticut General Assembly enacted a number of laws during its 2017 regular session that will impact Connecticut schools. Among other things, bills have been enacted that: (1) “repeal and replace” last year’s radical enhancement of the alternative educational opportunity offered to students who are expelled from schools and that was supposed to take effect…
The 2017 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly concluded at midnight, June 7, 2017, without accomplishing its most important task (passing a budget). As such, the General Assembly will eventually have to convene a “special session.” In the meantime, our legislature did pass several bills that will affect Connecticut schools. Among other things, the…
As my colleague Rachel Ginsburg aptly foretold, Connecticut’s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities [“CHRO”] has indicated an interest in involving itself with discrimination claims concerning the schools. A recent case shows how CHRO can handle (or mishandle) matters that have previously been deemed to be the exclusive province of special education “due process” hearing…
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…
