Resources

Related resources


Legal resources

2009 changes to public contracting

House Bill 2867 (2009) changes some important provisions for public contracts in Oregon.

About legal servicesThis is a for-fee service from OSBA

Learn how OSBA attorneys can assist with litigation services, administrative hearings, charter school applications, sample contracts, training and more.

Automated External Defibrillators and Oregon schools

Summary changes to the law involving districts' responsibility to have Automated External Defibrillators on school campuses.

Board Meeting procedures

The rules of parliamentary procedure in Robert’s Rules of Order Newly Revised govern board meetings, except as otherwise provided by state law or board policy.

Board’s removal of board member from vice president position ruled constitutional

A school board’s vote to remove one of its members as board vice president because of his public criticism of the superintendent was not prohibited by the first amendment.

Charter school application process

Many school districts throughout the state may be receiving charter school applications this spring.

Charter school funding

An overview of how charter schools are funded.

Charter school resources

Links to charter school resources on other web sites

Charter schools frequently asked questions

Questions and answers about public charter schools

Child abuse interview of student by DHS caseworker and sheriff violated 4th amendment

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a police officer cannot interview a student at school.

Court orders school to allow teacher’s religious poster in classroom

A federal court in California found that ordering a teacher to take down his religious banners violated his First Amendment right.

Custody issues and schools

At the beginning of each school year front office staff and administrators must deal with tough situations involving custody disputes.

Disregarding signs of disability amounts to “child find” violation

The federal court with jurisdiction over Oregon recently found that a district’s failure to conduct an educational assessment when there were clear signs of a student’s learning disabilities was the same as refusing to identify the student under the IDEA.

Do you have any information on the Dream (Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors) Act and what information school districts will be asked to provide and suggested protocols for this process?

Question from Ask Betsy

Employee discharged for medical marijuana

Medical marijuana users are not protected by Oregon's disability law.

Federal court finds IEP and placement appropriate over parents’ objections

Recently a federal court in Lessard v. Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative School District rejected parents’ arguments finding a school district offered a student FAPE in the least restrictive environment and that a proposed IEP was appropriate.

Federal regulations and resources

Federal Regulations & Resources provides information about federal regulations and other guidance affecting school districts.

Guns in schools - frequently asked questions

What are the laws governing guns in schools, and how do these apply to students, staff and the public?

HB 2062 frequently asked questions

Frequently asked questions about the requirements of the 2009 legislation addressng sexual grooming behaviors.

HB 2062 implementation materials

Materials developed by OSBA, OSPA, and EdZapp in a joint effort to provide support for members as they prepare for implementation of this new law related to school employee sexual misconduct on July 1, 2010.

Legal Assistance TrustThis is a for-fee service from OSBA

Established to help districts with the expense of litigation, primarily at the appellate level, which has a statewide impact.

Mandatory non-curricular training

Compliance training for employees of Oregon schools.

Must executive session minutes be separate from regular session minutes, or can they be contained in the body of the regular session minutes?

Question from Ask Betsy

One of our board members has volunteered some contracting services to the district, but I believe they would like to pay him for some future services. Is that legal and/or ethical?

Question from Ask Betsy

Oregon ethics laws frequently asked questions

Frequently asked ethics questions: Get the run down on what you need to know about Oregon’s ethics laws.

PACE training

PACE offers training and consultation services designed to make its members safer than ever.

Policy Guide for Division 22 Standards

Do you have the policies needed to sign your Division 22 standards assurance?

Pressure groups

On rare occasions, a hostile group may approach the board to comment on a decision that the board is considering or has just made.

Professor’s offensive messages did not constitute workplace harassment

A community college in Arizona was not required to discipline or dimiss a professor.

Reasonable suspicion is grounds for search

The Oregon Supreme Court ruled that a school with reasonable suspicion of drug possession had legal grounds to search a student and seize drugs.

Renewal of contracts

Processes required by Oregon law for teacher contract renewal – you should also check your collective bargaining agreement and board policies for additional requirements.

Residential placement not necessary

Residential placements not necessary to address issues unrelated to learning process

Robert's Rules simplified

The chair’s guide to running an effective meeting is Robert’s Rules of Order.

Saving money found not to violate anti age-discrimination law

The desire to save money is not prohibited by the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA).

Service animals in schools resources

Information about service animals in schools.

Supreme Court grants unemployment benefits to teacher involved in film clip controversy

A teacher was entitled to unemployment benefits under Oregon law after he resigned in lieu of termination.

Teacher’s grievance against principal not protected by First Amendment

Speech not required in an employee’s job description can still be part of a public employee’s official duties.

The basics of the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The laws surrounding the confidential of student education records.

The board chair and first amendment

When the board chair speaks to an issue, the public and the media assume that the chair’s statement is the opinion of the entire board of education.

The board chair and superintendent

The board chair and the superintendent collaborate on the meeting agenda and other operational issues facing the board.

US Department of Education’s definition of “highly qualified teacher” invalidated

The federal regulation implementing the No Child Left Behind Act was partially invalidated.

WA school district not liable for peer-on-peer sexual harassment

The student failed to prove facts essential to prevail under his claim for sexual harassment.