Ohio Revised Code Section 3313.482 requires each school district to develop and have a board-approved online makeup hour plan in place by August 1st of each school year. [1] The plan permits schools to make up the equivalent of three school days by providing teacher-directed online learning when buildings are closed for eligible reasons, most […]
House Bill 114, signed into law on December 19, 2025, mandates that school districts admit children to kindergarten only if the child is five years old by the first day of school, beginning with the 2026–2027 school year. This change replaces the former statutory framework, which permitted districts to select either August 1 or September […]
On November 6, 2025, a full panel of the Sixth Circuit held that disciplining students for using non-preferred pronouns to refer to transgender classmates violates the First Amendment. This decision highlights the fine line separating protected free speech and impermissible bullying and offers important factors for districts to balance when considering discipline. Background: In 2023, […]
On October 20, 2025, the Franklin County Court of Common Pleas issued a temporary restraining order against the Ohio High School Athletic Association. This ruling temporarily bars OHSAA from enforcing Bylaw 4-10, which prohibits student athletes from receiving money, merchandise or services of value based on notoriety obtained through athletic skills and achievements. Background: In […]
On June 5, 2025, in Ames v. Ohio Dep’t of Youth Servs., 221 L. Ed. 2d 929 (2025), the United States Supreme Court rejected the Sixth Circuit’s rule that a majority group plaintiff in a “reverse discrimination” Title VII case must present evidence of “background circumstances” that the plaintiff’s employer is the “unusual” employer that […]
On June 27, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a significant decision in Mahmoud v. Taylor, holding that public school parents who objected on religious grounds to LGBTQ+-inclusive elementary curriculum are entitled to a preliminary injunction allowing them to opt their children out of instruction involving such materials. The Court’s decision underscores constitutional limits on […]
On May 27, 2025, the United States Supreme Court declined to review the First Circuit’s decision in L.M. v. Town of Middleborough, upholding the lower court’s decision in favor of the school district, permitting the school’s dress code policy which prohibits clothing displaying hate speech. The First Circuit held that the school district acted within […]
On June 12, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled in A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools that public school students bringing disability discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act are not required to meet a heightened “bad faith or gross misjudgment” standard. The Court held that […]
