The 2021 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly concluded on June 9, 2021, but the primary source of action on education law issues was a special session of the General Assembly and ensuing “budget implementer”...more
8/10/2021
/ Charter Schools ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Emergency Management Plans ,
General Assembly ,
Hairstyle Discrimination ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Native American Issues ,
Public Sector Unions ,
School Districts ,
Special Education ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Team Mascots ,
Vaccinations ,
Wage and Hour
In addition to bills described in our last post, the General Assembly’s Education Committee approved and advanced out of committee the following funding-related and “omnibus” bills, including bills reaffirming the Committee’s...more
5/10/2021
/ Construction Project ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Federal Funding ,
General Assembly ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Legislative Agendas ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
State Funding ,
Students
The General Assembly’s Education Committee likely finished up its work for this legislative session and approved a final flurry of bills prior to its April 6, 2021 deadline for approving and advancing bills out of committee....more
As we were all reminded when discussing the COVID-19 vaccine, https://schoollaw.pullcomblog.com/archives/covid-19-testing-and-eventually-hopefully-vaccines-what-can-the-schools-require/ Connecticut law (via Connecticut...more
As our regular Education Law Notes’ readers know, we have provided cascades’ worth of updates on federal and state COVID-19 guidance during this year long pandemic. There are many signs of optimism, as infection rates drop,...more
We are now entering the dark winter of the COVID-19 crisis; at the same time, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. In the meantime, Connecticut’s educational institutions (and employers in general) must consider how...more
12/8/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Life Sciences ,
Screening Procedures ,
Students ,
Vaccinations ,
Virus Testing
As an attorney representing Connecticut educational institutions (and employers in general), I am receiving numerous calls from clients with respect to how to properly address the possibility that the upcoming Thanksgiving...more
11/9/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Health and Safety ,
Holidays ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Public Health ,
Quarantine ,
Screening Procedures ,
Students ,
Teachers ,
Thanksgiving ,
Traveling Employee ,
Virus Testing ,
Workplace Safety
To the shock of no one, the guidance concerning the use of in-person, “hybrid” and remote learning models in the Connecticut schools during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. This is not completely...more
We have written repeatedly in these pages about the evolving guidance from Connecticut’s State Department of Education (SDE) with respect to the wearing of masks (and face coverings) in the schools...more
Now that Connecticut’s schools are reopening, the million-dollar question is what happens when there is the (unfortunate) inevitable brush with COVID-19. Schools must balance the competing need to safeguard the health and...more
On August 31, 2020, the State Department of Education (SDE) issued via “Addendum 11” revised “Interim Guidance” on the wearing of masks in Connecticut’s schools....more
On August 14, 2020, the Governor’s office issued Executive Order 7NNN, which addressed the mandatory wearing of masks and other face coverings in public (with a limited exception for those with a medical condition). ...more
9/4/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Educational Institutions ,
Executive Orders ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Interim Guidance ,
Personal Protective Equipment ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Social Distancing ,
Students
To the shock of no one, both the state and federal governments continue to revise their guidance concerning the reopening of the schools. On the date (July 24, 2020) that public schools were supposed to file their reopening...more
Connecticut’s schools have the unenviable task of having to plan for the “reopening” of schools while dealing with ever-shifting (and apparently end-result driven) federal and state guidance. ...more
Schools have already been closed for two months due to COVID-19 and shall remain so until the end of the school year. The questions about when they will re-open keep coming with no definitive answer. But, perhaps there is...more
On February 5, 2020, the 2020 session of the Connecticut General Assembly began. The session is scheduled to adjourn on May 6, 2020. Numerous proposed bills affecting Connecticut’s schools will be unleashed during the...more
2/21/2020
/ Education Reform ,
Educational Institutions ,
General Assembly ,
Public Health ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Religious Exemption ,
Rulemaking Process ,
School Safety ,
Security Standards ,
Special Education ,
State and Local Government ,
Vaccinations
As you are aware from these pages, Connecticut’s General Assembly produced a plethora of bills affecting the schools during its 2019 regular session. As they say in late night TV infomercials, yes, there’s more. In a brief...more
The 2019 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly concluded on June 5, 2019. The legislature passed significant labor and employment legislation that addressed, inter alia, remedies for sexual harassment and...more
As you are aware from our prior posts, the General Assembly’s Education Committee has been quite busy during the 2019 legislative session. Racing ahead of its deadline, the Committee has approved a final set of bills at its...more
At its March 6, 2019 and March 15, 2019 meetings, the General Assembly’s Education Committee began the process of approving bills. The following is a brief discussion and summary of the bills that the Committee voted...more
On Friday, March 1, 2019, the General Assembly’s Education Committee will conduct a public hearing, which will take place at 11:00 A.M. in Room 2E of the Legislative Office Building. A particular focus of this hearing will...more
The 2018 Regular Session of the Connecticut General Assembly passed bills that, among other things: (1) revise the Student Data Privacy Act; (2) address budgetary issues stemming from attempts at reducing and rescinding...more
8/3/2018
/ Cost-Sharing ,
Data Privacy ,
Disabled Children ,
Diversity ,
Educational Institutions ,
FOIA ,
Food Allergies ,
General Assembly ,
Governor Vetoes ,
Grants ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Mobile Devices ,
Natural Disasters ,
New Legislation ,
Public Employers ,
Public Health ,
Public Schools ,
Puerto Rico ,
Right to Privacy ,
Risk Assessment ,
Safety Standards ,
Special Education ,
State and Local Government ,
State Budgets ,
Students ,
Teachers
The Connecticut General Assembly enacted a number of laws during its 2017 regular session that will impact Connecticut schools. Among other things, bills have been enacted that: (1) “repeal and replace” last year’s radical...more
The Connecticut General Assembly enacted a number of laws during its regular session that will impact Connecticut schools and public-sector employers. Among other things, bills have been enacted that...more
As my colleague Rachel Ginsburg aptly foretold, Connecticut’s Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities [“CHRO”] has indicated an interest in involving itself with discrimination claims concerning the schools. A recent...more