Take a Pause on Department of Education Request for School District Certification of Compliance with Anti-Discrimination Laws
On April 3, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (“DoE”) published a Press Release communicating that DoE is requesting all K-12 school districts to certify (Certification Form) that they are not engaging in any practices inconsistent with the United States Supreme Court case, Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard and Title VI’s anti-discrimination requirements (“Certification […]
Wisconsin Teacher Contract Renewal and Non-Renewal Process
In Wisconsin, all teachers employed by a public-school board must have a written employment contract. Wis. Stat. § 118.21. All full-time teacher contracts, and some part-time teacher contracts, are subject to the renewal and non-renewal procedures set forth in Wis. Stat. § 118.22. If a school district seeks to non-renew the contract of a teacher, […]
School District Obligations Under 2023 Wisconsin Act 20
On July 19, 2023, the Wisconsin legislature enacted 2023 Wisconsin Act 20 (“Act 20”) which fundamentally shifted early childhood reading assessment and readiness for Wisconsin School Districts. At the statewide level, Act 20 required the Department of Public Instruction (“DPI”) to create the “Office of Literacy” to recommend science-based literacy curricula and instruction materials for […]
Act 10 Challenge: The 2024 Sequel
On July 3, 2024, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Jacob Frost announced his intention to find 2011 Wisconsin Act 10 and portions of 2011 Wisconsin Act 55 (collectively referred to as “Act 10”) unconstitutional and requested further briefing from the parties to that case prior to issuing a final decision. On December 2, 2024, Judge […]
Reminder: School Safety Plan Review & Reporting Requirements
In preparation for the 2024-2025 school year, school districts and private schools should confirm they are meeting their statutory obligations related to school safety plans. Generally, school safety plans provide a shared understanding among school personnel, school leadership, parents, and law enforcement during times of crisis. School safety plans contain directions for interested parties during […]
