The administration of college admissions examinations by SEAs [state education agencies] and LEAs [local education agencies] raises potential legal issues under FERPA [Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974], IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act], PPRA [Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment], and state privacy laws, and…

This study investigates the legal literacy of urban public school administrators in Malaysia. Data were collected from 109 school administrators. The instrument that was administered to the respondents comprised two parts: Part 1, the background information of the respondents; and Part 2, items on the law related to schools, such as teachers' duty…

A growing number of states and local schools across the country have adopted educator evaluation and accountability programs based on the use of student test scores and value-added models (VAM). A wide array of potential legal issues could arise from the implementation of these programs. This article uses legal analysis and social science evidence…

Changes in sports and the "sue syndrome" have increased the risk of athletic coaches being sued. Suggestions to reduce the risk involve: (1) job contracts; (2) preseason physical examinations; (3) parental consent; (4) good rapport with participants; (5) equipment safety; (6) documentation; (7) insurance; and (8) establishing priorities. (FG)

For educators in the field of higher education and judicial affairs, issues are growing. Campus adjudicators must somehow maximize every opportunity for student education and development in the context of declining resources and increasing expectations of public accountability. Numbers of student misconduct cases, including matters of violence and…

Summarizes the reasoning of a group of legal experts and reform-minded educators who discussed a recently filed suit against the San Francisco Schools. The 18-year-old plaintiff in this case is suing for one million dollars because he can't read. (JF)

The purpose of this document is to provide charter school authorizers with targeted technical assistance related to special education in charter schools. Charter school laws are unique to each state, and they provide a wide range of policies and practices for the hundred of authorizers chartering schools nationally. As a result, providing…

This speech examines the legal aspects of the California "Stull Bill," which governs the evaluation of public school teaching and administrative personnel. The author discusses the impact of the Bill on both teacher tenure and teacher evaluation and suggests that the teacher evaluation section has far more impact than does the teacher tenure…

Reviews court litigation during the 19th and 20th centuries in the United States which was blatantly political. Also questions the extent to which political influences in the courtroom pose a threat to the administration of justice. Cases include anarchist trials of the late 1800s, the Debs Case, and the Sacco-Vanzetti Case. (DB)

This newsletter defines common law negligence, discusses recent trends in common law negligence, cites litigation, and establishes guidelines to assist school administrators in the avoidance of such tort action. The success or failure of a negligence suit most commonly turns on one of three factors: duty, breach of that duty, and proximate cause…

The availability of general liability insurance policies is addressed to help trustees assess the adequacy of protection provided by state or institutional indemnification provisions, or through one of the insurance policies currently available. The board of trustees' responsibility to monitor regularly the policy it may have in force or that it…

Explores some legal issues and principles relevant to university administrators' decision-making processes, focusing on three areas: discretion (i.e., level at which a decision is made); procedural fairness (when it is required, what it applies to, rules, and biases); and review of decisions. Emphasis is on the Australian context. (MSE)

Outdoor experiential program providers must be aware of certain issues in order to reduce or eliminate liability claims against their organization and employees. These include liability insurance, liability education, risk control, and record keeping. Recommends that all outdoor program providers provide risk management training to employees and…

Little research has been conducted in an effort to clarify the legal ramifications involved in the support services a guidance department may offer in a typical high school. Of particular interest are the liabilities to which counselors, principals, and other school personnel might be subjected in guidance departments having peer assistance…

A growing emphasis on teacher accountability, coupled with declining enrollments and reduced revenues, has increased the importance of teacher evaluations as a basis for staffing decisions, even though there is no clear definition of teacher effectiveness. Accordingly, legal standards are provided for the procedural and substantive issues of due…