The El Dorado Charter SELPA held their first ever Legal Forum in San Diego and Oakland where more than 250 charter school leaders attended to learn about evolving special education law. The Charter SELPA hosted presenters from law firms, Girard, Edwards, Stevens & Tucker and Young, Minnie & Corr. The Legal Forum was created to help schools navigate the complicated legalities that arise when supporting students with disabilities. The Legal Forum is a proactive step to ensure charter schools are legally compliant while providing an exceptional education for all students.
“We knew charter schools wanted and needed this type of legal advice, but we were surprised to see such an amazing turnout from schools all over the state,” said Ginese Quann, Director of the Charter SELPA. “Special Education law can be confusing for even our most experienced educator, so allowing schools to ask questions that enable them to provide the most appropriate education for their students’ is invaluable.”
Topics covered in the Legal Forum included recent court decisions, bullying, mental health, and much more. To conclude the Legal Forum, presenters from both law firms opened up the room to answer difficult legal questions. The questions from attendees could have far surpassed the time allowed, which is why the Charter SELPA hopes to make the Legal Forum an annual event. “The SELPA strives to provide all possible resources to ensure charter schools are equipped with the tools they need,” says Quann. “We hope that the Legal Forum is the first of many to help schools continue to meet the needs of all students.”
