Summer To-Dos for School Districts

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As our school districts prepare for the start of the 2026-2027 school year, the upcoming summer presents a meaningful opportunity to review and revise district documents for legal compliance, codify best practices and provide professional development on legal matters. Here are a few areas that typically warrant review:

Student Handbooks and Educational Service Plans

State law requires that school councils review student handbooks each year to consider changes in policies to take effect the following September. Additionally, all school buildings are required by law to have written educational service plans detailing available alternative educational services for students removed from school longer than ten (10) days. The attorneys in our office are available to review these documents and recommend changes for the upcoming school year.

School Committee Policies

Depending on the issues your School Committee and district may have faced recently, as well as recent changes to federal regulations, the School Committee may want to consider reviewing and updating certain policies. School Committee policies that have required the most updates in the last year include:

  • Policies affected by Artificial Intelligence (Acceptable Use Policy, Student Code of Conduct, etc.)
  • Staff Conduct
  • Relations with Parent/Booster Organizations
  • Public Comment at School Committee meetings

Bullying Plans and Policies

State law requires that school districts review their bullying plans and policies every two years. If the 2026-2027 school year falls on your district’s year for review, our attorneys would be pleased to assist in the review of your current bullying plans and policies and recommend changes where needed.

Student Disciplinary Notices and Hearings

School districts must comply with federal and state laws and regulations in addressing student discipline. In the past year, school districts have experienced an increase in complaints with DESE’s Problem Resolution System (“PRS”), the Bureau for Special Education Appeals (“BSEA”) and federal and state courts regarding student discipline. Both disciplinary processes and notices are coming under frequent scrutiny by parents/guardians and student legal counsel. The attorneys in our office are available to review and revise disciplinary notice templates for compliance with current legal requirements. In addition, we provide training for new and experienced administrators on the proper procedures and requirements for disciplining students, including students with IEPs.

Please contact us for administrator training, assistance in reviewing and revising current policies and procedures, and for assistance on other areas of school law in preparation for the 2026-2027 school year.

This update is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal advice.