2025 COSA Online Fall School Law Seminar

1-2 p.m. Eastern Time

What Does Collective Bargaining in K-12 Schools Look Like Seven Years After the Decision in Janus?
Oregon labor lawyer Nancy Hungerford will share the impact of the 2018 decision in Janus on public sector bargaining in school districts and will address how districts are responding to an increasingly hostile and combative workforce that is utilizing strikes, lobbying, and political action to make an impact on compensation and working conditions.

Speaker: Nancy Hungerford, Hungerford Law, Oregon City, Oregon

2:15-3:15 p.m. Eastern Time

Navigating the Conflict Between State Laws Prohibiting the Use of Tribal Names and Symbols and the Current Administration’s Interpretation of Title VI
Starting in January 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) adopted a new interpretation of the requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and simultaneously undertook an aggressive enforcement campaign supporting its new position. DOE's new interpretation and enforcement actions directly conflict with state laws and guidance from state education departments prohibiting the use of Native American names and symbols as school district mascots. In this presentation, the speakers will explore the Title VI conflict, specifically within the context of the legal battle presently playing out in New York between school districts that have adopted Native American mascots, the State Education Department, and DOE. We will also consider the implications this conflict has for school districts across the country.

Speakers: Daniel Levin and Dennis O’Brien, Frazer & Feldman, LLP, Westbury, New York

3:30-4:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Emerging Trends in FERPA and PPRA
This session will examine current and emerging high-profile, significant issues in the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), along with their implications for schools. Student privacy laws, such as FERPA and PPRA, are increasingly at the center of some of today’s most significant and controversial issues in education law. At the same time, the U.S. Department of Education (Department or ED) and various advocacy groups have been progressively taking a more aggressive stance with respect to the FERPA and PPRA complaint process. As a result, effective legal representation of school districts, school boards, and state school board associations requires the ability to view matters through the lens of student privacy law.

Speaker: Jill Siegelbaum, Founding Partner, Sligo Law Group, PLLC, Washington, DC

1-2 p.m. Eastern Time

The State of Generative AI: Legal Ethics, Its Impact on Schools and the Future….Is Singularity Possible?
The Speaker for this session will address the state of generative artificial intelligence and its current and future impact on legal ethics, legal practice, and schools.

Speaker: James Gessford, Perry Law Firm, Lincoln, Nebraska

2:15-3:15 p.m. Eastern Time

Behaving Badly, Acting Legally: School District Discipline Under IDEA and Section 504
This session explores how student discipline intersects with IDEA and Section 504. It includes a discussion of procedural safeguards, manifestation determinations, and removals. Designed for school attorneys new to special education law, it highlights common pitfalls, eligibility challenges tied to behavior, and practical strategies to ensure compliance while maintaining safety and order in schools.

Speakers: Jordan Bullinger and Vickie Coe, Clark Hill, Grand Rapids, Michigan

3:30-4:30 p.m. Eastern Time

Title IX Under the Trump Administration: Legal and Practical Impacts of Executive Actions on K-12 Schools
The Speakers will examine the Trump administration’s Title IX priorities, including transgender students’ athletic participation, the dismantling of the Department of Education, and Title IX’s intersection with special education. We will address legal risks for administrators and education attorneys, anticipated compliance challenges, and evolving federal-state tensions in education governance.

Speakers: Samantha Lewis, Partner, and Alexis Trumble, Associate, Parker Poe, Atlanta, Georgia

1-2 p.m. Eastern Time

Code Red: Communication & Legal SOS for School Leaders
When disaster strikes your school, every second counts—and every word matters. This high-energy session arms you with critical communication tools and legal knowledge to navigate any crisis confidently. Join us for a focused discussion on how school attorneys can partner with communication professionals to help prepare for and assist during emergencies.

Craig Wood, Walsh, Gallegos, San Antonio, Texas, and Kathleen Kennedy, Center for Communication and Engagement, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

2:15-3:15 p.m. Eastern Time

The Right to Bubble-Wrap Children in the Bible: Dissecting Mahmoud v. Taylor
When the U.S. Supreme Court issued its Mahmoud v. Taylor ruling in the summer of 2025, culture warriors and reporters covered it as a clear win for the conservative agenda. But was it? Educational civil rights attorney Jessica Heiser dissects the path that brought us here, how the ruling will actually show up in our schools, and where the Free Exercise Clause will go next in public schools.

Speaker: Jessica Heiser, Imprint Legal Group, Noblesville, Indiana