EAST LANSING: 517.484.8000 | NOVI: 248.533.0741 | WEST MICHIGAN: 616.588.7700
Our website is currently being updated, and will be temporarily unable to register new accounts. Please contact Rachel Hewitt (RHewitt@ThrunLaw.com) with any questions, or to be notified when the updated website is available.
As the school year winds down, school officials should review the legal requirements and best practices for incorporating student growth and assessment data into teacher evaluations to avoid common evaluation mistakes.
Student Growth and Assessment Data
Revised School Code (RSC) Section 1249 requires school officials to consider student growth and assessment data or student learning objectives in a teacher’s year-end evaluation. Section 1249 defines...
There are many benefits, and some complications, to hiring retirees as teachers. One complication is recognizing and avoiding arrangements that constitute age discrimination. Michigan’s ELCRA and the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) prohibit discrimination against employees because of age in hiring, firing, promotion, layoff, compensation, benefits, job assignment, and training. Under the ADEA, an employee must be 40 years of age or older to be in the protected category....
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires an individualized education program (IEP) team to consider and document in the IEP whether a student with a disability qualifies for extended school year (ESY) services.
ESY is specialized instruction and related services provided beyond the normal school year, such as during summer vacation or other school breaks. ESY’s purpose is to maintain skills – not to work on obtaining new skills. A student...
When schools seek to purchase new equipment (e.g., buses, copiers, or tablets), vendors frequently offer financing packages in the form of a lease purchase agreement (LPA) or other type of financing lease with a third-party leasing company. Though seemingly straightforward, the terms contained in LPAs can be extremely detrimental to schools.
LPAs are different from “true” leases and rental agreements. In a true lease, the leasing company typically remains the equipment owner. With an...
AI note-taking tools, such as those used by Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet, offer convenience. Those tools streamline administrative tasks by generating meeting summaries, highlighting key discussions, identifying speakers, creating charts, providing task lists, and more. But using AI note-taking tools for some school meetings risks violating the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), waiving or breaching attorney-client privilege, and generating inaccurate information....
As part of our service to retainer clients, Thrun Law Firm will conduct a series of 1-hour webinars this spring. The Tuesdays with Thrun webinar series will be offered at no charge to our retainer clients.
Webinars will be held on the following dates/times and will cover the following topics:
To avoid an unintended contract extension or acquired tenure status, school officials must follow the applicable timelines and procedures to non-renew a probationary teacher’s contract.
Probationary Period
Following recent Teachers’ Tenure Act amendments, effective April 2, 2025, to acquire tenure, teachers must: (1) receive an “effective” or “highly effective” evaluation rating on three year-end performance evaluations, including their most recent...
Public Act 209 of 2024, effective April 2, 2025, adds Revised School Code Section 1300, which will require schools to allow a Native American individual to wear traditional regalia and bring traditional objects to ceremonies of honor. Notably, this law will apply to this school year’s graduation ceremonies.
“Traditional regalia” means any cultural, religious, or ceremonial clothing or wearable items representing a Native American’s tribal or ancestral traditions.
“Traditional...
As detailed in our January 24, 2025 E-Blast, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) recently rescinded its “protected areas” policy, meaning that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents are no longer directed to avoid immigration enforcement actions in schools. In turn, MDE also recently released two memos addressing immigration in public schools.
The...
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a federal civil rights statute that prohibits recipients of federal funds from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. In addition to an increase in complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), we also are seeing an increase in parent requests for Section 504 hearings. Section 504 hearings require a neutral hearing officer and the presentation of testimony and other evidence. This month...