EDU 553: K-12 Education Law and Policy

Overview

This course examines legal issues affecting educational environments, including church-state issues, teacher liability, employment, contracts, assignment, dismissal, tenure, retirement, and pupil control. This course also explores constitutional, statutory, and case law as related to primary and secondary school settings. Both faculty and student rights legislation are examined, as well as federal and state standards-based education reform legislation.

The course focuses on the democratic structure within schools and assesses the implications of the No Child Left Behind Act for reform, school ratings, parental choice, and school system administration. Additionally, the course evaluates compliance issues regarding language minority and special education students, teacher hiring, and standardized testing.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Develop a working knowledge of the impact federal law and legislation has on the development of state law, and the overall impact on education delivery systems at both the state and local school district levels exemplified in the creation and implementation of state and local policy and procedures.
• Incorporate a comprehensive knowledge base on the authority states and state education agencies possess to define public education and instructional programs within their respective borders.
• Cultivate a clear correlation between federal laws, and the implementation of state and local execution systems; the purpose for these polices and state infrastructures; and the implications on district and building administration.
• Gain a global understanding of special education entitlement schemes, from both a federal and state level, and the required compliance by state and local school administrative authorities.
• Describe and discuss student rights under the Constitution and federal laws, including the religious rights of students and due process.
• Discuss the requirements established for education by federal and state law; state rule and regulation; local policy, including FERPA; and liability issues.

Required Texts
EDU 553 texts are available from the JIU/MBS bookstore