Education conference lays down the law

Nancy Hungerford, founder of the education-focused Hungerford Law Firm, gave the 45th Oregon School Law Conference on Friday in Eugene the benefit of her decades of experience. Hungerford, who led multiple sessions, attended the very first school law conference. (Photo by Jake Arnold, OSBA)

The education legal landscape is shifting rapidly, and ignorance of the law is not a defense for school districts trying to stay in compliance.

The Oregon School Law Conference last week offered school leaders grounding in some of the important rules, statutes and precedents that surround the school day.

"Sometimes you need to know something about the law just to know what questions to ask," said Haley Percell, OSBA chief legal officer and interim deputy executive director.

OSBA, the Coalition of Oregon School Administrators and the University of Oregon held the three-day event in Eugene. Discussions ranged from long-standing federal and state requirements to federal demands this year to upcoming state accountability rules. More than 800 people registered, primarily school administrators.

A pre-conference on Wednesday offered training academies for new principals and superintendents. More than three dozen Thursday and Friday sessions included immediately relevant topics such as policies for artificial intelligence in education, serving students in the wake of equity-related federal actions, Oregon legislative updates, special education and immigration enforcement relating to schools.

Krista Parent, the COSA executive director, said school leaders are facing legal questions they have never heard before and they are coming at a rapid clip.

The conference allows school leaders to network while receiving invaluable free legal advice from experienced education-focused attorneys who are volunteering their time, Parent said.

This year, the conference offered six "essential learning strands" so school leaders could concentrate their understanding in areas including student rights, policy and legislation, and governance and leadership.

OSBA attorneys from multiple departments were presenters in different strands. OSBA, as a parent organization for Property and Casualty Coverage for Education, provides legal advice for school districts and school boards. PACE is Oregon's leading insurance pool for education and serves more than 300 public organizations.

Percell said it's important for school leaders to know the law because when they run afoul of it, even accidentally, it can quickly become complicated and expensive and that impacts students' education.

Although the law conference has historically been aimed at administrators, Percell would like to see more school board members attending.

"Our students have rights; our board members have responsibilities," Percell said. "Knowing the requirements and the limits the law places on schools helps school boards make better decisions and policy,"

- Jake Arnold, [email protected]