News from Thrun Law

April 22, 2019

The Michigan Finance Authority (MFA)
again is offering its annual State Aid Note Loan Program this summer. The MFA
expects to post on its website this year’s application and cash flow forms and
make the authorizing resolution available through local note counsel by May 1.

We encourage clients to take advantage of this early start by preparing application documents, including cash flow, and coordinating...

April 15, 2019

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
recently issued informal guidance clarifying the disci­plinary protections that
must be provided to a student with a suspected
disability who has not yet been deter­mined eligible for special education
services. Letter to Nathan, 119 LRP
4245 (January 29, 2019).

A school is deemed to have “knowledge” of a student’s
...

April 8, 2019

The Michigan Finance Authority (MFA)
again is offering its annual State Aid Note Loan Program this summer. The MFA
expects to post on its website this year’s application and cash flow forms and
make the authorizing resolution available through local note counsel by May 1.

We encourage clients to take advantage of this early start by preparing application documents, including cash flow, and coordinating...

March 29, 2019

Prom season is upon us — along with a
slew of potential legal landmines. Below are best practices for navigating some
common issues.

Attendance

There is no constitutional right to
attend prom. Attending prom is a privilege, subject to revocation for
noncompliance with reasonable conduct standards. School officials may not,
however,...

March 29, 2019

As part of our service to retainer clients, Thrun
Law Firm will host its annual client seminars at five loca­tions this spring.
Our spring seminars are a 30-year tradition offered at no charge to our
retainer clients. Each seminar will conclude with an attorney Q & A panel
to address pertinent client questions.

Attached to this edition of School Law Notes are registration information...

March 25, 2019

In a case handled by Thrun Law Firm, an arbitrator recently found that
the Bay City Education Associa­tion’s attempt to unilaterally change its
medical benefit coverage year from July 1 to January 1 violated the col­lective
bargaining agreement. Bay City Education
Association MEA/NEA and Bay City Public Schools
, AAA 01-18-0001-8403. As
many school officials are aware, MESSA changed its plan year from a July 1 to
June 30 cycle...

March 18, 2019

The Michigan Legislature recently amended Sections 3 and 4 of FOIA,
requiring additional infor­mation from requesters and providing a deadline for
deposit fees. FOIA requests now must contain the requester’s:

  • full name,
  • mailing address,
  • phone number or email address.

A FOIA request made by an organization must include contact
...

March 11, 2019

As highlighted in the January 31, 2019 edition of School Law Notes, the PMLA becomes
effective March 29, 2019. This article will provide additional information
and clarification regarding the PMLA’s requirements. First, an eligible
employee begins to accrue paid medical leave under the PMLA upon beginning
employ­ment. An employer may, however, require (by policy or handbook language)
that the employee wait 90 calendar days...

March 4, 2019

Effective February 27, 2019, SEC Rule 15c2-12 imposed new continuing
disclosure requirements on bond issuers, including schools. A school will only
need to comply with the new requirements when:

  • it issues new bonds after February 26, 2019; and
  • in conjunction with issuing the bonds, it enters into a
    continuing disclosure agreement, which is generally required for all bond
    issues of $1...
February 25, 2019

This month’s article on OMA Basics focuses on the notice requirements for regular, special, and emergency meetings, as well as the enforcement mech­anisms and penalties that accompany these require­ments. Additionally, with the 2017-2018 lame duck session officially over, we address two new amend­ments to the OMA that could impact how your school board operates.

Notice of Meetings

Public school board meetings generally require two types of notice: (1) notice...

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