Franczek P.C.

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Latest from Franczek P.C. - Page 6

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The U.S. Department of Education (ED) recently issued a “Supplemental Fact Sheet” updating its earlier Questions & Answers and Fact Sheet on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and clarifying that schools should not refrain from providing distance learning out of fear that they cannot adequately serve students with disabilities. In the updated guidance, ED advises school districts that the delivery of a free appropriate public education (FAPE) may look different when schools are physically closed. The guidance also addresses the impact of school closures on special education timelines, including urging schools “to work with parents to reach mutually agreeable…
Continue Reading Department of Education Stresses Special Education Should Not Discourage Distance Learning Efforts

On March 18, 2020, ISBE issued guidance on providing special education during the current mandatory two-week school closure. While the guidance responds to some of the questions arising from this unprecedented situation, neither the U.S. Department of Education nor Congress has provided flexibility with respect to IDEA rules, and the State is correspondingly constrained. As we described in our last post, the big picture message is to do your best to provide services to students with disabilities and meet applicable deadlines. Be creative, document your efforts, and expect compensatory education claims once we get back to school. Below are…
Continue Reading Highlights from ISBE Special Education Guidance During the Mandated School Closure

In the wake of Governor Pritzker’s recent order requiring all Illinois schools to close between March 17 and March 30, many schools and school districts have been left guessing how to best serve students with disabilities and comply with IDEA timelines during the closure. While forthcoming guidance from ISBE and the U.S. Department of Education may provide additional flexibility and clarity, for now we can share the following update to ease your mind a bit. In summary, schools can safely consider that all special education deadlines calculated using “school days,” including evaluations, are postponed. Guidance is limited with respect to…
Continue Reading In the Nick of Time—Special Education Timelines During School Closures for COVID-19

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For regular readers of this blog, you know that my colleague, Tracey Truesdale, gave you some tips for properly paying employees in the event of a pandemic. That was on February 26, 2020. Since then, we’ve heard of employers sending entire offices of employees home to telecommute, restricting travel, and cancelling social events in reaction to the spread of COVID-19. We’ve also heard about Italy’s decision to lock down the country by closing schools and restricting all forms of travel for 16 million people, and how mortgage payments have been suspended to help employees who are faced with sudden unemployment.  …
Continue Reading Walmart Takes Lead in Providing Paid Sick Leave in the Face of COVID-19 

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School personnel should expect to encounter a heated parent from time to time; parents are often understandably passionate about their children’s educations. But what happens when parental advocacy escalates from vigorous advocacy, strenuous objections, and detailed questions to baseless accusations, repeated demands, and threatening or vulgar language or actions? What can a school do when a parent’s hostile behavior continues over time, putting a strain on staff members’ time and impeding productive communication? A recent case out of the Ninth Circuit examined just such a situation and affirmed the rights of schools to put in place reasonable limits on communication.
Continue Reading Can Schools Limit Parents’ Hostile Speech: Federal Court Says Yes

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Dana Fattore Crumley and Kendra Yoch were honored to present at the IAASE 21st Annual Winter Conference in Springfield on “The Crossroads of Special Education Evaluation and Risk Assessment: Which Issue Has the Right of Way?” For anyone who was not able to make the conference or session, here is a handy recap and some key takeaways to bring you up to speed on the intersection between threat assessment and special education evaluations.
You probably will not be surprised to learn that students with disabilities are more likely than their general education peers to be referred for a threat assessment. Indeed,…
Continue Reading What Did I Miss? Recap of IAASE Presentation on Special Education Evaluations and Threat Assessments

Last week, ISBE reversed course on isolated time out. After initially banning the practice in late November 2019, ISBE heard from many stakeholders that having a staff member in a time out room with an escalated student was often unsafe. The recent amendment to the emergency rules seeks to limit and regulate the use of isolated time out rather than prohibit it altogether. Accordingly, ISBE updated its Guidance and Frequently Asked Questions and reporting form to reflect the new development.

The updated Guidance and FAQ document includes the following revised explanations of time out and isolated time out:

[F]or purposes…
Continue Reading Isolated Time Out is Back (for now): ISBE Issues Revised Guidance and Reporting Form After Second Amendment to Emergency Rules on Time Out and Physical Restraint

The anticipated spread of coronavirus in the U.S. has many employers revisiting their emergency response plans. Depending on guidance from public health officials, some employees may be directed to work from home, temporarily furloughed, or work a reduced schedule. Some managers and executives may be pressed into service to perform more manual or routine tasks.
To paraphrase a favorite sign in my office, this is not the Department of Labor’s first rodeo, and there is existing guidance under the Fair Labor Standards Act’s (FLSA) implementing regulations on how employees must be compensated in these situations. Let’s look at some of…
Continue Reading Coronavirus: How to properly pay employees in the event of a pandemic

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On February 25, 2020, ISBE posted a second amendment to its emergency rules governing physical restraint and time out. This new amendment, which is effective immediately, is the most recent development in ISBE’s attempts to deal with the difficult issues related to these restrictive and sometimes misused techniques. ISBE’s efforts have led to a dizzying series of emergency rules, amendments, proposals, and revised proposals over the past months, leaving many schools (and even school attorneys!) confused about what rules are in effect and how to prepare for upcoming changes. This summary outlines the newest changes schools need…
Continue Reading The Changes Keep Coming: Second Amendment to Emergency Rules Permits Isolated Time Out

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On February 14, 2020, ISBE issued notice that it will no longer provide reimbursement for students placed at non-approved special education facilities, even if the placement is ordered by a hearing officer. In a brief memorandum to Illinois special education due process hearing officers and state directors of special education, ISBE announced the change, which is effective immediately. This change will have important impacts on Illinois public schools.
In Illinois, districts can receive reimbursement from the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) for students placed at “approved” private day and residential schools. To be approved, the private school must meet…
Continue Reading ISBE Cuts Off Reimbursements for Hearing Officer Ordered Placements in Non-Approved Special Education Facilities

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On February 18, 2020, ISBE approved revised proposed rules related to the use of physical restraint and time out in schools. The revised proposed rules follow ISBE’s receipt and review of over three hundred comments on the initial proposed rules and include several significant changes, most notably permitting isolated time out in specific circumstances. The revised proposed rules next go to JCAR for Second Notice and will be considered at an upcoming JCAR meeting. If JCAR has no objection to the revised proposed rules, ISBE can proceed to adopt them. According to a report, ISBE also filed the revised…
Continue Reading ISBE Approves Revised Proposed Rules on Physical Restraint and Time Out

Is your school threat assessment team in place and ready to act in order to meet upcoming legal deadlines? Does it understand the interaction between threat assessments and special education evaluations? Is it adequately prepared so that your school will not be the next one in the media spotlight for a threat assessment gone wrong? In this post, we highlight three key issues involving threat assessment and describe upcoming opportunities to learn what you need to know to properly conduct threat assessments going forward.
 The School Safety Drill Act requires school districts in Illinois to have threat assessment teams in…
Continue Reading Threat Assessments: Three Key Issues for Illinois Schools

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After receiving and reviewing questions and concerns from stakeholders regarding the practical implications of its emergency rules on the use of time out and physical restraint, the Illinois State Board of Education (“ISBE”) released a Guidance and FAQ document aimed at providing clarification. The Guidance, which ISBE issued in collaboration with the Illinois Counsel of School Attorneys (“ICSA”), explains what does and does not constitute a time out—one of the issues that has caused the most confusion. The Guidance also provides other needed definitions and answers various practical questions related to alternative behavioral supports and the application of time…
Continue Reading Key Takeaways From ISBE’s Guidance and FAQ on Time Out and Physical Restraint Emergency Rules

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Within the last few weeks, there have been significant changes to the Illinois State Board of Education (“ISBE”) rules regarding time out and physical restraint. First, ISBE issued emergency rules, then it issued amendments to the emergency rules, and finally, on December 9, 2019, ISBE published proposed permanent rules on the use of time out and physical restraint. We have heard and raised numerous questions and concerns regarding the practical implications of the emergency rules in the classroom. ISBE’s proposed permanent rules provide some additional clarity. But the work to overhaul policies and procedures and train staff on the…
Continue Reading What Do ISBE’s Proposed Permanent Rules on Time Out and Physical Restraint Mean for Your School?

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After pushback from Illinois school districts, an amendment to the Illinois School Code’s special education provisions will alleviate some, but not all, frustrations related to a recent law that added significant procedural requirements for special education teams. Senate Bill 460 (Public Act 101-0598) amended the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code to delay the requirement that special education teams provide a child’s parent or guardian with copies of all written materials to be considered by the student’s IEP team three school days prior to the IEP meeting. Special education teams should be aware of what changes…
Continue Reading Illinois Senate Bill 460 Suspends Implementation of Draft IEP Paperwork Requirement

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In response to outcry from educators in and outside of Illinois about the legitimate need to use prone and supine restraint for certain diverse learners and the lack of notice to allow teams to identify alternative techniques, the Illinois State Board of Education amended its recent emergency rules to allow the practices on a limited basis if certain conditions are met. What are our initial insights from the amended rules?

Under the amendment, prone and supine restraint can only be used if the following requirements are met:

  • Consider Contraindicating Factors. The school district or school has determined that no medical

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Continue Reading ISBE Amends Emergency Rules on Time Out and Physical Restraint