Student Affairs

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Students need a safe and dynamic educational environment in which to learn and thrive. Ensuring this can lead to significant challenges for school personnel who must understand and navigate through the legal rights and responsibilities of students and staff, ongoing parent-teacher-student expectations and relationships, academic and behavioral challenges, and financial considerations and limitations.

Best Best & Krieger LLP Education Law attorneys have decades of experience providing effective counsel and representation to K-12 school and school districts, public and private colleges and universities, county offices of education, charter schools, special education local plan areas and education foundations.

We advise on all student affairs matters, including:

Student rights – free speech, religious exercise and expression
Nondiscrimination, gender equity and Title IX compliance
Search and seizure, drug and alcohol testing
Sexual harassment, bullying and cyberbullying
Inter-district transfers, open enrollment and related appeals
School closures and boundary adjustments
Pupil records and privacy issues
Attendance, residency and enrollment issues
Complaint procedures, investigations, responses and training
Custody issues and parent rights and responsibilities
Student discipline, including suspension and expulsion procedures, hearings and appeals
Uniform Complaint Procedure investigations and reports
Office for Civil Rights complaint investigation response and resolution
California Department of Education complaint investigations
Student athletics
School safety and campus security
Free school guarantee – restriction on student fees
Dress code issues, policies and procedures
Foster and homeless youth rights
Special Education support and services
Section 504 disability accommodations

Further, we help clients create and revise student handbooks, school policies, practices and procedures; offer training to assure staff compliance; and assert and defend our clients’ interests in federal and state courts, before regulatory bodies and before government agencies.