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Legal Services

Legal Services - Experts in Education Law Ready to Serve Our Members
Experts in Education Law – Prepared to Support LAF Members

 

With nearly 70 years of collective school law experience, the KASB legal team possesses the knowledge and expertise of educational law and policy to guide KASB LAF members with comprehensive legal services and support.

Our Legal Services are provided by attorneys with specialized understanding and skill in supporting school district boards and staff as they navigate even the most complex legal situations. Members of our legal assistance fund gain exclusive and robust legal support, from negotiation training to Title IX investigations.

Our legal team offers specialized assistance in a wide range of services in a variety of legal areas. Please note, the services highlighted below are not exclusive, please contact the KASB legal department with specific requests or questions.

Legal Services Offers...

  • General Services

    • ​​​​​​​Phone calls and emails
    • Contract review
    • Forms, Resources
    • Legal research
    • Legal memorandum and opinions
  • Governance

    The KASB legal department can assist the board in governance matters, including, but not limited to:

    • Consulting and meeting with boards on legal matters and issues
    • Compliance with state law regarding governance such as the Kansas Open Meetings Act (KOMA), the Kansas Open Records Act (KORA), and record retention
    • Policy and handbook language
  • Employment Law

    The KASB legal department can assist the district in legal employment matters, including, but not limited to:

    • Compliant hiring processes and procedures
    • Drafting job descriptions
    • Compliance with state and federal wage payment laws (KS Wage Payment Act, FLSA)
    • Compliance with federal law regarding job-protected leave (FMLA)
    • Compliance with state and federal non-discrimination laws (KS Act Against Discrimination, Title VI, Title VII, Title IX, ADA, Section 504)
    • Investigations regarding employees (General complaints, Title VII, Title IX)
    • Kansas Human Rights Commission (KHRC) and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaints
    • Understanding the constitutional rights of employees (Speech, religion, search and seizure, due process)
    • Compliance with evaluation requirements and best practices
    • Non-renewal or termination of certified contracts
    • Termination of classified employees
  • Professional Negotiations

    The KASB legal department can support the board in professional negotiations matters, including, but not limited to:

    • Onsite training for board teams
    • Sample language for negotiated agreements
    • Review of negotiations agreements 
    • Assistance with and consultation on March 31 notice letter
    • Review of proposals
    • Strategy recommendations
    • Act as chief negotiator 
    • Assist the board team
    • Representation during impasse
    • Representation during fact-finding 
    • Representation in prohibitive practice cases
    • Grievance matters
  • Student Matters

    The KASB legal department can assist the district in student matters, including, but not limited to:

    • Student discipline matters, such as serving as the hearing officer or appeal officer in long-term suspension or expulsion hearings
    • Compliance with state and federal non-discrimination laws (Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, IDEA)
    • Investigations involving students (General complaints, Title VI, Title IX, Section 504, IDEA)
    • Representation in special education matters, including formal complaints and special education due process cases
    • Compliance with state and federal law relating to student privacy (KS Student Data Privacy Act, FERPA, PPRA)
    • Understanding the constitutional rights of students (Speech, religion, search and seizure, due process)
    • Compliance with state laws, including compulsory attendance, residency, bullying, and emergency safety interventions
    • Office of Civil Rights (OCR) complaints
  • Training

    The KASB Legal Team provides education for members on legal matters through customized trainings, in-services, and seminars. This includes, but is not limited to the following topics:

    • Title IX
    • Special Education
    • Section 504
    • Student Discipline
    • Non-Discrimination and Harassment
    • Constitutional Law
    • Employment Law and Human Resources
    • Social Media
    • Negotiations
    • Student Privacy and Records
    • Board Trainings
    • KOMA/KORA