(EDL 725) Educational Law, Policy and Practice
Syllabus of Record
Catalog Description: This course will review the legal framework of education and various
legal issues that are imperative for educational leaders to be able to identify, understand,
and incorporate within their administrative responsibilities. Emphasis is placed on the legal
framework with a focus on discipline, equity and personnel issues. Three credits.
Unit Mission, Philosophy, Values:
Our Mission:
“Teaching, Leading and Learning in a Democratic Society”
The College of Education prepares candidates who enhance the individual growth of their
students while working to establish policies and practices that promote the principles of
democratic education. The College articulates this mission as Teaching, Leading, and
Learning in a Democratic Society.
Philosophy:
Student Potential, Ethical Implications
Believing that schools function as social and political entities as well as for the growth of
individuals, the College of Education prepares teachers and leaders
a) to enhance the academic and personal potential of their students
b) to evaluate the social and ethical implications of educational policies and practices.
Values:
“Expertise, Equity, Liberal Education, Social Responsibility”
The College of Education values expertise to guide our practice, equity to guide our
interactions, liberal education to guide our perspectives, and social responsibility to guide
our commitment to democratic education. We value these ideals in our preparation of
candidates, our development of faculty, and our relationships with the larger community we
serve.
Unit and Program Standards:
Unit Standards: Michigan Department of Education (MDE), National Council for the
Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE)
Standards for Advanced Programs Preparing Other School Professionals: Council for the
Social Foundations of Education (CSFE); College of Education Research Standards.
Specialty Program Standards: Education Leadership Constituent Council (ELCC)
Course Standards and Assessments:
Course Standards: ELCC Standards 5 & 6
Common Assessment: Reading Quizzes
Major Topics:
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Substantive and Procedural Due Process
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Suspensions and Expulsions
Special Populations
Zero-Tolerance
Student Searches
FAPE
Due Process
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
Evaluation
Discipline
Dismissal
Substantive Constitutional Rights of Employees
Contracts
Michigan Teacher Tenure Act
Bullard-Plawecki Employee Right to Know Act
Course Knowledge Base:
Boyle, J. R. & Weishaar, M. K. (2001). Special education law with cases. Needham
Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon.
Cambron-McCabe, N. H., McCarthy, M. M., & Thomas, S. B. (2004). Legal Rights of Teachers
and Students. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Cambron-McCabe, N. H., McCarthy, M. M., & Thomas, S. B. (2004). Public School Law (5th
ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Cate, F. H. (1998). The Internet and the First Amendment: Schools and sexually explicit
expression. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa International, Inc.
Education and Law Journal. [Electronic version]. Retrieved June 30, 2005, from
http://www.law2.byu.edu/jel/
Elder C. H. (2004). Dismissal doesn’t have to be difficult. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow
Education.
Frels, K. & Horton, J. L. (2003). A Documentation System for Teacher Improvement or
Termination (5th ed.). Dayton, OH: Education Law Association.
Haynes, C.C., Chaltain, S., Ferguson, J.E., Jr., Hudson, D.L., Jr., & Thomas, O. (2003). The
First Amendment in Schools. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and
Curriculum Development.
Osborne, A. G. (1997). Disciplinary options for students with disabilities. Dayton, OH:
Education Law Association.
Rothstein, L. F. (2000). Special education law (3rd ed.). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn &
Bacon.
Rossow, L. F. & Parkinson, J. (1998). The law of student expulsions and suspensions
(2nd ed.). Dayton, OH: Education Law Association.
Rossow, L. F. & Tate, J. O. (2003). The law of teacher evaluation. (2nd ed.). Dayton, OH:
Education Law Association.
Yudof, M. G., Kirp, D. L. & Levin, B. (1992). Education policy and the law (3rd ed.). St. Paul,
MN: West Publishing Company.
Zirkel, P. A. (2005). Section 504: Student issues, legal requirements, and practical
recommendations. Bloomington, IN: Phi Delta Kappa International, Inc.