This has been another active week in the world of school law. Please see below for a quick recap of some of the noteworthy school law news that occurred this week.

United States Department of Education

The school board and superintendent who trust each other to fulfill their respective roles and functions, and work well together in continuous improvement, lead districts that enjoy higher levels of SA. The work of continuous improvement cannot be done by the board or superintendent alone. It is the strength of the board and superintendent alliance that ultimately defines the success of the district. Where this gets tricky is the alliance - what does it really look like? OSBA consultants are often asked that question.

For reasons that are evident to everyone, there has been renewed focus on whether and when vaccinations can be required. For the most part, the case law on vaccines is older law; the important vaccination cases in the United States court system are typically from the early part of the 20th century.  However, a case did surface out of New York during 2020 and the plaintiffs are trying mightily to get it into the Supreme Court of the United States. The case involved routine childhood vaccinations, but it is a good preview of how COVID vaccine challenges may fare in the courts. 

House activity
The House passed House Bill (HB) 2 by a vote of 91-5. The bill establishes the residential broadband expansion program. The bill was amended in committee to provide additional funding of $150 million in fiscal year (FY) 2022 and includes an emergency clause.

Late on Friday, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Department of Education (USDOE) release updated guidance to support school districts as they continue the return to in-person instruction.