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Approved for Continuing Education for School Board Members


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Artwork Details

26th Annual

School Law Conference

Austin Mar 3-4, 2011 Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark
Conference Concluded
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Overview

The 2011 School Law Conference features timely topics, including:

 • First Amendment updates for students and school personnel

 • Misconduct on campus: pornography, bullying and cyberbullying, and disciplining beyond Chapter 37

 • Updates, recent developments, and proposed rule changes: Commissioner of Education decisions
   Attorney General opinions, proposed and new Texas disciplinary rules and laws affecting
   investigations, proposed new ADAAA regulations, TAC Chapter 247 amendments, and changes
   to the "Top Ten Percent" rules

 • Politics: overlapping jurisdiction, Texas election law and school districts, and trustee elections

 • The effects of financial crisis on school districts, Board Members' digital communication, results from
    the Charter School Experiment, and much more!

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Event Schedule

Program is subject to change.
All times are Central Time Zone.

  • Day 1 March 3, 2011
  • Day 2 March 4, 2011
  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Thursday Morning, Mar. 3, 2011
    Presiding Officer:
    Joy S. Baskin, Texas Association of School Boards - Austin, TX
  • 8:00 am
    Registration Opens
    Includes continental breakfast.

  • 8:30 am
    Welcoming Remarks

  • 8:45 am
    0.75 hr
    First Amendment Update: Student Issues
    Developments in First Amendment cases involving public school students, including discipline and religion cases.

    Ellen H. Spalding, Rogers Morris & Grover - Houston, TX

  • 9:30 am
    1.00 hr
    First Amendment Update: Employee Issues
    An exploration of the line between school employees' roles as public employees and private citizens.

    Michael J. Currie, Texas Classroom Teachers Association - Austin, TX
    Christopher B. Gilbert, Thompson & Horton LLP - Houston, TX

  • 10:30 am
    Break

  • 10:45 am
    0.75 hr
    Bullying and Cyberbullying
    An update and discussion of the difficult legal and practical issues surrounding bullying, cyberbullying and dating violence.

    Todd Aaron Clark, Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos & Green, P.C. - Austin, TX
    Lynn Rossi Scott, Brackett & Ellis - Fort Worth, TX

  • 11:30 am
    0.75 hr
    Portable Pornography and the Cyberbully: Today's Classroom Criminal
    How should a school district partner with their local prosecutors to handle 21st century criminal conduct in the classroom?

    Philip A. Grant, Montgomery County D.A. Office - Conroe, TX

  • Thursday Afternoon, Mar. 3, 2011
    Presiding Officer:
    Joy S. Baskin, Texas Association of School Boards - Austin, TX
  • Luncheon Presentation

  • 12:15 pm
    Pick up Box Lunch
    Included in conference registration fee.

  • 12:30 pm
    0.50 hr
    Board Members' Digital Communications
    Forget worries about phone calls and emails—these days board members are texting each other at the board table. Is it legal? Is it public information?

    Ifeoma Odita, Texas Association of School Boards - Austin, TX

  • 1:00 pm
    Break

  • 1:15 pm
    0.50 hr
    Results from the Charter Schools Experiment
    It has been 15 years since Texas first recognized open-enrollment charter schools as part of the Texas public school system. A practitioner in both realms discusses the lessons charters and districts can learn from one another. 

    Robert A. Schulman, Rogers, Morris & Grover, L.L.P. - San Antonio, TX

  • 1:45 pm
    0.50 hr
    Texas Election Law and School Districts: Dos and Don'ts in Trustee Elections
    What are the legal boundaries for school employees and school officials during election season?

    Cristen David Feldman, Rusty Hardin & Associates, P.C. - Houston, TX

  • 2:15 pm
    0.75 hr
    Grades and Grads
    Changes to the "Top Ten Percent" rules, grading policies and local class rank decisions. 

    David P. Backus, Underwood Law Firm - Lubbock, TX

  • 3:00 pm
    Break

  • 3:15 pm
    0.75 hr
    Commissioner and Attorney General Update
    An update on recent Commissioner of Education decisions and Attorney General opinions.

    Holly M. Claghorn, Texas Association of School Boards - Austin, TX

  • 4:00 pm
    1.00 hr ethics
    Proposed and New Ethics Rules You Need to Know
    An overview of new Texas disciplinary rules, as well as new laws affecting investigations. 

    Amon Burton, Law Office of Amon Burton - Austin, TX
    Jim Heidelberg, Escamilla, Poneck & Cruz, LLP - San Antonio, TX

  • 5:00 pm
    Adjourn

  • Time
    Credit
    Subject
    Speaker
  • Friday Morning, Mar. 4, 2011
    Presiding Officer:
    Joey W. Moore, Texas State Teachers Association - Austin, TX
  • 8:00 am
    Conference Room Opens
    Includes continental breakfast.

  • 8:30 am
    0.75 hr
    Strategies for Addressing Fiscal Shortfalls
    A look at the practical effects of financial crisis on school districts—especially small districts—including layoffs, voluntary separation agreements, shared service arrangements and consolidation.

    Tracy Hoke, Fort Bend ISD - Sugar Land, TX
    Sara Hardner Leon, Powell & Leon, LLP - Austin, TX

  • 9:15 am
    1.00 hr
    ADAAA: When Theory Meets Reality
    A practical look at the give-and-take between employee and employer anticipated by the proposed new federal regulations.

     

    M. Kaye DeWalt, Littler Mendelson P.C. - Houston, TX
    Jennifer A. Powell, Schwartz & Eichelbaum Wardell Mehl and Hansen, P.C. - Austin, TX

  • 10:15 am
    Break

  • 10:30 am
    1.00 hr
    Tough Student Discipline Situations
    The toughest student discipline situations involve far more than Chapter 37. This panel sorts through some true-to-life challenges. 

    Marquette Maria Maresh, Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos and Green P.C. - Austin, TX
    Christopher L. Tritico, Tritico Rainey, PLLC - Houston, TX

  • 11:30 am
    0.50 hr
    Reporting Concerns of Child Abuse or Neglect
    When, how and what to report—what does CPS do with my information?

    Michael Norris, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services - Austin, TX

  • Friday Afternoon, Mar. 4, 2011
    Presiding Officer:
    Joey W. Moore, Texas State Teachers Association - Austin, TX
  • 12:00 pm
    Pick up Box Lunch
    Included in conference registration fee.

  • Luncheon Presentation

  • 12:15 pm
    1.00 hr ethics
    Ethics in Settlement, Mediation and Negotiation
    Using real-life scenarios, three experienced practitioners discuss ethical considerations that may arise during negotiations. Topics include authority to settle, confidentiality and conflicts of interest.

    Panelists:
    Jefferson K. Brim III, Brim, Arnett, Robinett, Conners & McCormick, P.C. - Austin, TX
    Panelists:
    Lisa A. Brown, Thompson & Horton LLP - Houston, TX
    Panelists:
    S. Anthony Safi, Mounce, Green, Myers, Safi, Paxson & Galatzan, P.C. - El Paso, TX

  • 1:15 pm
    Break

  • 1:30 pm
    0.75 hr
    Overlapping Jurisdictions
    Relationships and interactions between school districts and the other political entities with whom they share territory, e.g., interlocal contracts, conflicts of laws.

    Arturo G. Michel, Thompson & Horton LLP - Houston, TX

  • 2:15 pm
    0.75 hr
    SBEC Rules, Chapter 247:  Updates and Changes
    Discussion of 19 TAC Chapter 247 amendments related to ethical and professional educator conduct. 

    Richard L. Arnett, Brim, Arnett, Robinett, Conners & McCormick, P.C. - Austin, TX
    Merle Hoffman Dover, Texas Education Agency - Austin, TX

  • 3:00 pm
    0.75 hr
    School District Elections
    School districts hold several types of elections which must meet requirements of various state and federal laws. This session focuses on trustee elections using single-member districts which require redistricting after the 2010 U.S. Census under federal law and the Texas Education Code, as well as on tax ratification elections subject to Texas Education Code, Texas Election Code and Texas Tax Code provisions.

    Judy C. Brown, Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos and Green, P.C. - Austin, TX

  • 3:45 pm
    Adjourn

  • Day 1 March 3, 2011
  • Day 2 March 4, 2011
Download Schedule

Conference Faculty

Richard L. Arnett

Brim, Arnett, Robinett, Conners & McCormick, P.C.
Austin, TX

David P. Backus

Underwood Law Firm
Lubbock, TX

Jefferson K. Brim III

Brim, Arnett, Robinett, Conners & McCormick, P.C.
Austin, TX

Judy C. Brown

Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos and Green, P.C.
Austin, TX

Lisa A. Brown

Thompson & Horton LLP
Houston, TX

Amon Burton

Law Office of Amon Burton
Austin, TX

Holly M. Claghorn

Texas Association of School Boards
Austin, TX

Todd Aaron Clark

Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos & Green, P.C.
Austin, TX

Michael J. Currie

Texas Classroom Teachers Association
Austin, TX

M. Kaye DeWalt

Littler Mendelson P.C.
Houston, TX

Merle Hoffman Dover

Texas Education Agency
Austin, TX

Cristen David Feldman

Rusty Hardin & Associates, P.C.
Houston, TX

Christopher B. Gilbert

Thompson & Horton LLP
Houston, TX

Philip A. Grant

Montgomery County D.A. Office
Conroe, TX

Jim Heidelberg

Escamilla, Poneck & Cruz, LLP
San Antonio, TX

Tracy Hoke

Fort Bend ISD
Sugar Land, TX

Sara Hardner Leon

Powell & Leon, LLP
Austin, TX

Marquette Maria Maresh

Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos and Green P.C.
Austin, TX

Arturo G. Michel

Thompson & Horton LLP
Houston, TX

Michael Norris

Texas Department of Family and Protective Services
Austin, TX

Ifeoma Odita

Texas Association of School Boards
Austin, TX

Jennifer A. Powell

Schwartz & Eichelbaum Wardell Mehl and Hansen, P.C.
Austin, TX

S. Anthony Safi

Mounce, Green, Myers, Safi, Paxson & Galatzan, P.C.
El Paso, TX

Robert A. Schulman

Rogers, Morris & Grover, L.L.P.
San Antonio, TX

Lynn Rossi Scott

Brackett & Ellis
Fort Worth, TX

Ellen H. Spalding

Rogers Morris & Grover
Houston, TX

Christopher L. Tritico

Tritico Rainey, PLLC
Houston, TX

Planning Committee

Joy S. Baskin—Chair

Texas Association of School Boards
Austin, TX

David A. Anderson

Texas Education Agency
Austin, TX

Jefferson K. Brim III

Brim, Arnett, Robinett, Conners & McCormick, P.C.
Austin, TX

Lisa A. Brown

Thompson & Horton LLP
Houston, TX

Sandra D. Carpenter

Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos & Green, P.C.
Irving, TX

Juan J. Cruz

Escamilla, Poneck & Cruz, LLP
Laredo, TX

Michael J. Currie

Texas Classroom Teachers Association
Austin, TX

Donna Derryberry

Association of Texas Professional Educators
Austin, TX

Christopher B. Gilbert

Thompson & Horton LLP
Houston, TX

Allan Stewart Graves

Adams, Lynch & Loftin
Grapevine, TX

Dorcas A. Green

Walsh, Anderson, Brown, Gallegos and Green, P.C.
Austin, TX

Andrea Slater Gulley

Underwood Law Firm
Amarillo, TX

Wayne D. Haglund

Haglund Law Firm, P.C.
Lufkin, TX

Roger D. Hepworth

The Fowler Law Firm
Austin, TX

Elneita Hutchins-Taylor

Houston Independent School District
Houston, TX

Miles J. LeBlanc

Houston Independent School District
Houston, TX

Hollis L. Levy

The University of Texas School of Law
Austin, TX

Kevin F. Lungwitz

Lungwitz & Lungwitz P.C.
Austin, TX

Mia M. Martin

Richardson Independent School District
Richardson, TX

Leticia D. McGowan

Dallas Independent School District Office of Legal Services
Dallas, TX

Cheryl T. Mehl

Schwartz & Eichelbaum Wardell Mehl and Hansen, P.C.
Austin, TX

Joey W. Moore

Texas State Teachers Association
Austin, TX

S. Anthony Safi

Mounce, Green, Myers, Safi, Paxson & Galatzan, P.C.
El Paso, TX

Robert A. Schulman

Rogers, Morris & Grover, L.L.P.
San Antonio, TX

Lynn Rossi Scott

Brackett & Ellis
Fort Worth, TX

Ellen H. Spalding

Rogers Morris & Grover
Houston, TX

Fred A. Stormer III

Underwood Law Firm
Amarillo, TX

Mark P. Tilley

Texas Association of School Boards
Austin, TX

Credit Info

  • Austin
MCLE Credit
Toggle view Texas – 13.75 hrs  |  2.00 hrs Ethics
Legal Specialization(s): Administrative Law
You may claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and UT Law CLE will report credit on your behalf to the State Bar of Texas. A Certificate of Attendance will be provided in Your Briefcase for your records. The system reports Texas CLE credit every Tuesday. If you are claiming credit in the last week of your birth month, self-report your CLE credit directly to the State Bar of Texas at texasbar.com, using the course number  provided on your certificate of attendance.
Toggle view California – 13.75 hrs  |  2.00 hrs Ethics
You must claim your credit online in Your Briefcase, and will then be provided a Certificate of Attendance for your records. UT Law CLE is required to provide the State Bar with electronic attendance records for any MCLE participatory activity within 60 days of completion of the activity. The California licensee is responsible for reporting their compliance/credit hours earned to the State Bar at the end of their reporting period directly to the State Bar of California at calbar.ca.gov.  UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  
Other Credit
Toggle view TX Accounting CPE – 16.50 hrs
The University of Texas School of Law (Provider #250) live conferences are presumptively approved by The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for Texas Accounting CPE credit based on a 50-minute credit hour. Approved for general CPE credit only.

At the conference, you are welcome to sign in on the Accounting CPE Record of Attendance form at the registration desk, but we are now reporting all credit online. You will receive a Texas Accounting Certificate of Completion in Your Briefcase. Self-report your CPE credit directly to TSBPA. UT Law CLE will maintain Attendance Records for four years.  

Contact us at accreditation@utcle.org if you have additional questions.
Toggle view TX School Board Member (TEA) – 13.75 hrs
UT Law CLE is a Registered Provider of TEA Board Member training under provider number 2022-3-2-RP-6149. You may use your hours from the School Law Conference to self-report your credit for TEA Board Member training. More information is located at the TEA website and the training site here:

https://tea.texas.gov/texas-schools/school-boards/school-board-member-training

http://www.tea.state.tx.us

Key Dates

Austin – Mar 3-4, 2011 – Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark
Conference Concluded
Buy
  • Austin
Standard Registration
Last day for $470.00 Regular pricing: Feb 23, 2011

$520.00 for registrations received after this time

Last day for cancellation (full refund): Feb 25, 2011

$50 processing fee applied after this date

Last day for cancellation: Feb 28, 2011

Venue

speaker

Omni Austin Hotel at Southpark

4140 Governor’s Row
Austin, TX
(512) 448-2222 (reservations)

Parking Information

Complimentary Self-Parking

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