News

On May 26, 2026, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed House Bill 5797 of 2026 into law with immediate effect, granting certain…

Every successful school construction project begins with a strong conceptual foundation.  Understanding the nuts and bolts of architect requirements, independent…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) includes a series of procedural requirements to help Individualized Education Program (IEP) Teams…

On March 27, 2026, the Michigan Department of Treasury notified all public employers of the “hard cap” contribution limits under…

Michigan law requires public schools to adopt their annual budgets by June 30 each year. A taxing entity, including a…

As schools begin planning for bond elections to finance large construction projects, architectural or construction management firms may offer pre-bond…

As the school year winds down, we remind school officials of Revised School Code (RSC) Section 1236 and how it…

Prom season is fast approaching – along with a myriad of related legal issues. To navigate those concerns, school officials…

Michigan schools are entering a new era of digital accessibility. The Department of Justice recently issued a final rule (Rule)…

As part of our service to retainer clients, Thrun Law Firm will conduct a series of 1-hour webinars this spring….

To avoid an unintended contract extension or acquired tenure status, school officials must follow statutory timelines and procedures to non-renew…

As school officials plan for facility updates or major purchases, a common question often arises: can sinking fund revenue be…

Have you ever finished a ten-minute phone call with a parent, and, before you can even grab a cup of…

On February 10, 2026, Governor Whitmer signed Public Act 2 of 2026, which restricts student cell phone use during instructional…

Michigan’s K-12 literacy and dyslexia laws required MDE to provide schools with a list of (1) “approved valid and reliable…

Revised School Code (RSC) Section 1229 establishes deadlines, timelines, and procedural requirements to nonrenew a school administrator’s employment contract. To…

As school officials prepare to negotiate teacher collective bargaining agreements (CBA), effective preparation goes beyond merely reviewing budgets and timelines….

The State School Aid Act establishes two student count days each school year to determine the amount of state aid…

If you have ever attended a Thrun special education training, you likely heard us emphasize the importance of prior written…

As school officials approach contract negotiations with teacher or support staff unions, thorough preparation is essential to achieving a fair,…

Recent developments related to SSAA Section 31aa funding have put the attorney-client privilege squarely in the spotlight for Michigan schools….

For 2026, the regular election dates for millage or bond proposals are: May 5 August 4 November 3 Because schools…

After 37 years of exemplary service to Thrun Law Firm and Michigan public schools, we are pleased to share that…

Thrun Law Firm announces the retirement of our colleague and friend Jeff Soles, who will retire at the end of…

As announced in our September 30, 2025 E-Blast, schools nationwide are joining a lawsuit against PowerSchool and related defendants concerning the…

As explained in our February 24, 2025, E-Blast, under Public Act 1 of 2025, Michigan’s minimum wage will increase as…

Last month, we provided a general overview of the new state budget, which amends the State School Aid Act (“SSAA”)…

An en banc panel of all 17 judges on the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, whose decisions are binding on…

On October 14, 2025, the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, whose decisions are binding in Michigan, upheld a ruling allowing…

Every year, school officials unwrap the dilemma of how schools can celebrate the winter holidays without landing on the constitutional…

State School Aid Act Section 31aa, MCL 388.1631aa, allocates $321 million to support school safety and mental health initiatives. To…

Public Act 15 of 2025 (“PA 15”) amended State School Aid Act (“SSAA”) Section 6(8) to postpone a grade range…

Special education evaluations provide individualized education program (IEP) teams with critical information that guides the development of a student’s IEP….

Bueller? Bueller? While a legendary day off made an iconic movie plot, the reality of student absenteeism is a far…

Teachers often wear many hats, and a teacher’s authority to access student records shifts in these different roles. A teacher…

Employee social media posts may present challenges for schools already seeking to manage the charged political atmosphere, as was the…

The State of Michigan’s new fiscal year begins on October 1 and, as of this newsletter’s publication date, the Legislature…

Michigan’s Fire Prevention Code (FPC) requires each general powers school district, intermediate school district, and public school academy operating any…

Cracks in a school construction contract’s foundation can lead to costly disputes, project delays, and unexpected financial burdens. This article…

Individualized development plans (IDPs) play a vital role in helping school officials evaluate probationary teachers and tenured teachers exhibiting disciplinary…

The beginning of the school year is a great time to review your Section 504 and Individuals with Disabilities Education…

When hiring a new employee, the Revised School Code requires that schools: (1) obtain a criminal history and criminal records…

The fall sports season is almost ready to kick off, so school officials should be ready to tackle issues related…

With the new school year approaching, now is the perfect time to review your school district’s schools-of-choice procedural requirements to…

With a new school year almost upon us, now is a good time to review your school’s Title IX policies,…

School is out for the summer, and the fiscal year 2025-26 budget has been adopted, so administrators can finally rest,…

The Michigan Association of School Boards (“MASB”) now officially endorses the Thrun Policy Service as the provider of board policies…

A recent unpublished Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals decision highlights the Fourth Amendment rights regarding searches and seizures of school…

The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan recently ruled that a school did not violate a student’s…

On June 12, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously eliminated the heightened protection public schools had against liability for compensatory…

Michigan law requires public schools to adopt their annual budgets by June 30th each year. A taxing entity, including a…

On March 28, 2025, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) pledging to enforce compliance…

With graduation approaching, school officials should consider common graduation-related legal issues and our recommendations for addressing those issues. Withholding Diplomas…

As detailed in our February 24, 2025 E-Blast, and updated in the March 2025 School Law Notes, the Michigan Earned…

As the school year winds down, school officials should review the legal requirements and best practices for incorporating student growth…

There are many benefits, and some complications, to hiring retirees as teachers. One complication is recognizing and avoiding arrangements that…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires an individualized education program (IEP) team to consider and document in the…

When schools seek to purchase new equipment (e.g., buses, copiers, or tablets), vendors frequently offer financing packages in the form…

AI note-taking tools, such as those used by Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, offer convenience. Those tools streamline administrative…

As part of our service to retainer clients, Thrun Law Firm will conduct a series of 1-hour webinars this spring….

To avoid an unintended contract extension or acquired tenure status, school officials must follow the applicable timelines and procedures to…

Public Act 209 of 2024, effective April 2, 2025, adds Revised School Code Section 1300, which will require schools to…

As detailed in our January 24, 2025 E-Blast, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently rescinded its “protected areas”…

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal civil rights statute that prohibits recipients of federal funds…

For 2025, the regular election dates for millage or bond proposals are: May 6 August 5 November 4 While January’s…

As reported in our August 29, 2024 School Law Notes, the Michigan Supreme Court recently declared the Michigan Paid Medical…

The chaotic, drama-filled final weeks of the Michigan Legislature’s 2023-2024 Session resulted in the Legislature’s passage of approximately 100 bills,…

Governor Whitmer recently signed into law Public Act 161 of 2024 (PA 161), Public Act 162 of 2024 (PA 162),…

In November’s edition of School Law Notes, we wrote about The ABCs of Student Behavior Management: BIPs, FBAs, & PBIS….

Michigan law suggests that a school board member who is present at a board meeting has a fiduciary duty to…

With limited exceptions, school officials must obtain a criminal history and records check for employees of third-party contractors who are…

Schools that issued tax credit bonds on or before December 31, 2017 must annually complete and file Form 1097-BTC with…

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) recently released guidance to help schools navigate the complexities of pupil transportation. MDE’s guidance…

Managing student behavior is integral to a successful educational experience for all students but becomes a mandate when a student…

With the excitement of the holiday season, finance-related filings may be the last thing on school officials’ priority lists. Please…

On Friday, November 15, 2024, a federal Texas court vacated the April 23, 2024 U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) final…

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) recently published the 2024-2025 Pupil Accounting Manual (PAM) and a Notable Changes document that…

Earlier this month, Governor Whitmer signed into law Public Act 134 of 2024 (PA 134), which changes the performance evaluation…

On October 10, 2024, MDE issued a memorandum announcing the new competitive bid threshold, which MDE adjusts annually to account…

As announced in our August 20, 2024 E-Blast and August School Law Notes, entities nationwide are joining a lawsuit against…

Cyber incidents in K-12 schools are on the rise. The total publicly reported cyber incidents in K-12 schools have risen…

Governor Whitmer recently signed into law Public Act 110 of 2024, which amends the Michigan Prevailing Wages on State Projects…

As anticipated, Moms for Liberty (MFL) has again updated its list of members that are now subject to a Kansas…

When a student’s parents disagree about the care, teaching, and education of their child, school staff must understand each parent’s…

Revised School Code Section 1613 allows a school district or ISD to direct local taxing jurisdictions to levy half or…

October is National Principals Month. Having worked with principals for over 75 years, we recognize the hard work, leadership, and…

The Michigan Supreme Court recently held that the Michigan Paid Medical Leave Act (PMLA) and the amended Michigan Improved Workforce…

The student count days for the 2024-25 school year are October 2, 2024 and February 12, 2025. The October 2 count…

Under the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) established the Universal Service Fund (USF) to finance programs…

In April, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) published a Final Rule that prohibits most non-compete clauses, which was set to…

In our May 2024 School Law Notes, we reported the enactment of the Public Entity Asbestos Removal Disclosure Act, which…

MDE issued a memo on June 27, 2024 reminding Michigan public schools of student immunization requirements. Every Michigan public school…

School begins soon, and now is a great time to review general student enrollment and records requirements for new and…

The status of the 2024 Title IX regulations has been in flux since the U.S. Department of Education (USDOE) released…

Due process litigation under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) has significantly increased in Michigan over the past three…

A recent ruling of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan involving Ann Arbor Public Schools demonstrates…

School officials may think that they are in the clear concerning financial steps once the school board adopts its budget…

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulates minimum wage, overtime pay, and other requirements, which may affect school employees. The…

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently issued new regulations implementing the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA). As reported in…

The Michigan Finance Authority’s (MFA) August 2024 state aid note program materials, including the loan application, cash flow form, instructions,…

Does your school have any teachers who were rated ineffective? Have you hired a new teacher who was recently rated…

On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education released long-anticipated new Title IX regulations addressing school-based sexual harassment. Although…

Far too often, IEP Teams gloss over or fail to discuss whether a special education student is entitled to extended…

As this school year wraps up, school officials should begin reviewing and revising student handbooks for the 2024-25 school year….

Michigan law requires that public schools adopt their annual budgets before July 1, which is the beginning of the fiscal…

As schools enter contract negotiations with unions representing professional staff, board negotiators must consider the Michigan Teachers’ Tenure Act (the…

Many public officials, including school board members and administrators, maintain an active social media presence in their individual capacities. On…

School officials must remember to comply with one of the Open Meetings Act’s (OMA) often misunderstood provisions: closed sessions. For…

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, whose decisions are binding in Michigan, recently dismissed an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)…

According to a recent Michigan Court of Appeals decision, public school teachers are not considered a “public body” under Michigan’s…

In 2011, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled that Michigan law prohibited using public resources to administer a payroll deduction plan…

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) demands the tooth, the whole tooth, and nothing but the tooth!…

To avoid an unintended contract extension or obtainment of tenure, school officials must follow the applicable timelines and procedures to…

Public Act 236 of 2023, effective February 13, 2024, adds Section 11a to the Public Employment Relations Act. Section 11a…

In 2020 and 2021, Congress enacted several relief packages allocating almost $200 billion nationally to support public schools during the…

FOIA’s short deadlines coupled with the often-voluminous FOIA records requests can make it difficult to produce requested records within the…

Securities and Exchange Commission Rule 15c2-12 governs continuing disclosure. Under this rule, a school issuing most bonds must enter into…

If it seems that your students’ New Year’s resolutions did not include better behavior at school, you are not alone….

As 2024 begins, we remind school officials to update board policies affected by the 2023 legislative changes to the Michigan…

Revised School Code Section 1229 establishes deadlines, timelines, and procedural requirements to nonrenew an administrator’s employment contract. To comply with…

The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, whose decisions are binding on Michigan schools, recently issued a decision interpreting Title IX….

Between the escalating conflicts abroad and the United States’ divisive political climate, schools are likely experiencing an increase in political…

With the upcoming February 27, 2024 presidential primary election, campaign season will soon be upon us. School officials (and their…

Schools that issued tax credit bonds on or before December 31, 2017 must annually complete and file Form 1097-BTC with…