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Approval of Nation's First Religious Based Charter School Opens Door to Contentious Constitutional Question

On June 5, 2023, an Oklahoma charter school authorizer approved the nation’s first religious charter school. The decision is certain to ignite litigation and open the possibility that higher courts may explore whether religious schools may be state sanctioned and publicly funded.

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SB 114: New Laws Impacting Charter Schools - More Extensions and Clarification on Application of Standard of Review for Charter Petition Appeals

On July 10, 2023, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the Education Omnibus Budget Trailer Bill, Senate Bill (SB) 114 (Trailer Bill), which, among other things, clarifies and revises provisions of the Charter Schools Act (Act).

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Superior Court Reverses State Board of Education's Action Overturning Charter Denials; Clarifies Review Standard for Appeals

A recent California Superior Court ruling reinforces the deference granted to local educational agencies under Assembly Bill (AB) 1505 in determining whether to grant or deny charter petitions.

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The State Board of Education Updates Assessment Criteria for Charter Schools

At its May 2023, meeting, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopted updated assessment criteria for charter school petitions, including amended criteria for defining verified data, procedures for using verified data, and new academic progress indicators within the SBE's verified data list.

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Ninth Circuit Contemplates Whether an ADA Claim Arising from Alleged Denial of FAPE Requires Exhaustion of Administrative Process

Back in November of 2021, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, sitting en banc in deciding D.D. v. Los Angeles Unified School District (9th Cir. 2021) 18 F.4th 1043, addressed the issue of whether a plaintiff asserting a claim in federal court under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) must first pursue available administrative remedies under the Individuals with Disabilities Educ

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2023 Updates: Annual Notice of Parental Rights and Responsibilities

As a reminder, school districts and county offices of education should update their parental annual notices (Annual Notices) for the upcoming 2023-2024 school year.

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California Equal Pay Act: New Rules on Pay Transparency, Record-Keeping, and Pay Data Reporting

On September 27, 2022, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 1162 into law. SB 1162, effective January 1, 2023, imposes new record-keeping, disclosure, and data reporting requirements for job pay scales and pay data.

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NCAA Requires Member Schools to Collect Discipline Records from Athlete's Prior Schools

At the beginning of the 2022-23 school year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Board of Governors' Policy on Campus Sexual Violence (Policy) went into effect.

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Legislative Update: New Requirements for COVID-19 Testing Plans and New Rules for Supplemental Vision Services for Students

Two important bills, Senate Bill (SB) 1479 and Assembly Bill (AB) 2329, signed by Governor Newsom in September 2022, require school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to have a plan for COVID-19 testing in schools and authorize local educational agencies (LEAs) to provide supplemental vision services for students, in addition to those already required by law.

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