Considering the vital role the superintendent plays in the overall functioning and well-being of any school district, the filling of the top leadership post with a permanent appointment never should be done in haste. The process of advertising, reviewing applications, conducting background checks, interviewing candidates, negotiating contracts,…

As a former school law attorney and a former superintendent, the authors were constantly concerned about potential liability when a student's constitutional rights may have been violated or when a student was physically injured. While educators can be held liable for infringing on students' rights and for negligence that causes students physical…

Superintendents who are knowledgeable about the law, understand its application to school operations, and provide ongoing training of site administrators are less likely to be mired in threatened lawsuits. The school attorney should be a valued, but not pivotal resource driving administrative decision making. Legal basics (including pitfalls)…

Citing new provisions of Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, discusses legal limitations and exceptions to posting personally identifiable student information on a school district's Web site. (PKP)

Reviews special education court cases regarding support services, student placement, limit on number of designated school days, disciplinary procedures, minimum competency testing, and educational malpractice. (JM)

The Supreme Court denied fees for administrative hearings as well as court proceedings for parents of a disabled child who prevailed in court against a school district. Bills introduced in the present Congress by Senator Lowell Weicker (S.415) and Representative Pat Williams (H.R.1523) address the issue. (MLF)

The delivery of federal Chapter 1 program services in private religious schools was held illegal by the Supreme Court's ruling in "Aguilar v. Gelton." Philadelphia and Boston dropped on-premises instruction for church-school students; New York City was granted a one-year delay, and Chicago is seeking a delay. (MLF)

Discusses court decisions in relation to the Equal Access Act and provides two sample policies for schools to follow. One limits student activities, and the second allows noncurriculum-related student meetings. (MD)

When school boards or states have mandated a "moment of silence" in schools, most courts have followed the tenent that if the public perceives the governing body to have approved a daily devotional exercise in public school classrooms, the state is, in effect, advancing religion. (JM)

Beyond no-establishment and free-exercise principles, widespread agreement now exists on many thorny church-state questions: school prayer, teaching about religion, Bible clubs, equal access, excusals, distribution of religious literature, religious holidays, creationism, released time, and character education. One issue, speaker versus audience…

Given the state of Chapter 1 funding, regular and special education advocates must fight for higher federal and state special education funding, resist legislators' efforts to divide their common child advocacy interests, work to entitle both special education and economically and educationally disadvantaged children under federal funding…

There is now remarkable agreement on religion's proper constitutional and educational place in public education. A 1995 statement issued by 24 religious and educational groups reaffirms Americans' commitment to First Amendment principles, envisioning civil public schools that neither inculcate nor inhibit religion. Sidebars list resources for…