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COVID-19 and Copyright Concerns

Pursuant to Governor Charles D. Baker’s March 25, 2020 order which requires all schools in the Commonwealth to remain closed until May 4, 2020, many districts are opting to engage in remote learning. While remote learning is an essential and helpful tool, it also poses unique challenges to school districts. Many districts and their educators […]

Remote Learning Update

On March 26, 2020, the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education issued guidance for school administrators regarding remote learning during the COVID-19 school closures. This guidance was sent to all Massachusetts superintendents and can be found here.  2020-0326 remote-learning

Updates to Families First Coronavirus Response Act

On March 18, 2020, President Trump approved House Bill 6201, titled the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”.  Please see our earlier advisories regarding this new legislation that we sent on March 19, 2020 and March 20, 2020.  The law has two new acts: the “Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act” and the “Emergency Paid Sick […]

Governor Extends School Closure Date

Earlier today, Governor Charles D. Baker modified an executive order that previously closed public schools, private schools and non-emergency daycare centers until Monday, April 6, 2020.  Under the new order, schools and non-emergency daycare centers will remain closed until at least Monday, May 4, 2020. Governor Baker emphasized that during this closure, the Department of […]

Governor Orders Closure of All Non-Essential Businesses

This morning, Massachusetts Governor Charles D. Baker issued an emergency order requiring all non-essential businesses to close their physical locations starting at noon on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 until April 7, 2020 at noon.  Additionally, all gatherings are now limited to ten (10) or fewer people.  The order also directs the Department of Public Health […]

Additional Information Regarding The “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”

On March 18, 2020, President Trump approved House Bill 6201, titled the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”.  Please see our advisory regarding this new Act we sent on March 19, 2020.  The law has two new acts providing leave time: the “Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act” and the “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act”. The […]

Federal Government Passes “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”

On March 18, 2020, President Trump approved House Bill 6201, titled the “Families First Coronavirus Response Act”.  The law has two new acts providing leave time: the “Emergency Family and Medical Leave Act” and the “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act”.  Public employers and private employers with fewer than five hundred (500) employees must provide leave […]

COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions

Governor Baker Issues Executive Order Modifying Open Meeting Law Requirements

In light of the recent state of emergency and outbreak of COVID-19, Governor Charlie Baker issued an Executive Order on March 12, 2020 modifying the requirements of the Open Meeting Law, G.L. c. 30A, § 20. At this time, public bodies are authorized to permit remote participation by all members in the public body, and […]

FERPA and COVID-19

With a growing number of cases involving public K-12 students who have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to someone who has such symptoms, circumstances will arise which implicate student education records covered by 20 U.S.C., 1232g (“FERPA”). School districts must work promptly and closely with local boards of health to ensure that all […]