Administration

The OCR is on an enforcement crusade to make school district web pages accessible to those with disabilities.  Several Texas districts have already been targeted.  Spend a few minutes getting up to speed on what OCR is looking for, and how to fix it in the fastest way possible to avoid an OCR enforcement action.

In September 2017, the United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights issued a Q&A on Campus Sexual Misconduct that increases the responsibilities that schools have for addressing and investigating sexual misconduct and sexual harassment.  From issuing guidance on responding to unreported incidents of misconduct to describing expectations for implementing grievance procedures, conducting “equitable”  investigations in a “timely manner,” and  notifying parties of the outcome, OCR has bestowed additional layers of obligations on public schools.   

It is vital that school districts both understand these new procedural and operational expectations,  and are able to separate their legal duties under Title IX from OCR’s suggestions on best practices. This two-part webinar will allow participants to confidently answer questions concerning whether their school district should revise policies and procedures concerning sexual misconduct, and provide a roadmap to doing so that can help districts diminish potential liability and protect resources. Each part is 1.5 hours.

November 1 - Part 1: Title IX and OCR’s Expectations for Addressing Claims of Sexual Misconduct

• Introduction to Title IX sexual harassment and assault claims
• Duty to identify claims of sexual misconduct
• Policies and procedures for addressing claims
• OCR’s expectations for conducting investigations

November 8 - Part 2: Investigating Title IX Sexual Harassment and Assault Claims

• Title IX coordinators and their role
• Interviewing witnesses and gathering documentary evidence
• Confidentiality
• Developing a report
• Reporting results and issuing discipline

Webcast presented by Abraham Barker. 

Whether it's Facebook or Twitter, Google Docs or Evernote, new technology applications have legal and operational effects on schools. The impact of new technologies and apps are especially important for one-to-one and BYOD schools.

Cloud computing applications pose additional legal complications. We have been asked to offer training sessions to help districts identify the issues in these sorts of new technological applications, and to determine the proper oversight when contemplating a new technology, so take advantage of this easy way to get the answers you are looking for.

Topics Covered:

• COPPA and CIPA issues
• Copyright issues
• Contract issues
• Potential consequences for failure to monitor