As part of our service to retainer clients, Thrun Law Firm will conduct a series of 1-hour webinars this spring. The Tuesdays with Thrun webinar series will be offered at no charge to our retainer clients.
Webinars will be held on the following dates/times and will cover the following topics:
To avoid an unintended contract extension or acquired tenure status, school officials must follow statutory timelines and procedures to non-renew a probationary teacher’s contract.
Probationary Period
Following the recent Teachers’ Tenure Act amendments, teachers acquire tenure when they have: (1) received an “effective” or “highly effective” evaluation rating on three performance evaluations, including their most recent evaluation; and (2) completed...
As school officials plan for facility updates or major purchases, a common question often arises: can sinking fund revenue be used for this expense?
Sinking fund revenue, distinct from general fund money or bond proceeds, comes with its own set of statutory and voter-approved spending restrictions. Understanding these restrictions is crucial for complying with permissible uses and avoiding costly consequences.
Permissible Uses
A sinking fund...
Have you ever finished a ten-minute phone call with a parent, and, before you can even grab a cup of coffee, a 1,000-word follow-up email hits your inbox, perfectly formatted and filled with legal citations? If so, you have likely experienced the onslaught of AI-assisted advocacy.
From threatening emails to robotic-sounding complaints and overly broad FOIA requests, parents, advocates, and community members are using AI more frequently to communicate with school officials. To assist...
On February 10, 2026, Governor Whitmer signed Public Act 2 of 2026, which restricts student cell phone use during instructional time. Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, a board of education must implement a policy that prohibits students from using wireless communications devices on school grounds during instructional time.
The new law defines “wireless communication device” as an electronic device capable of, but not limited to, text messaging, voice communication,...
Michigan’s K-12 literacy and dyslexia laws required MDE to provide schools with a list of (1) “approved valid and reliable screening and progress monitoring reading assessments,” and (2) “evidence-based tier 1, class-wide elementary reading curricula and materials” by January 1, 2026.
On December 18, 2025, MDE issued a memo confirming that both lists were posted to its K-12...
Revised School Code (RSC) Section 1229 establishes deadlines, timelines, and procedural requirements to nonrenew a school administrator’s employment contract. To comply with the statute, the nonrenewal process must begin at least 90 days before a particular administrator’s employment contract terminates (e.g., no later than April 1 for a contract that ends June 30).
The sample timeline below is based on the statutory minimum number of days a board needs to act before...
As school officials prepare to negotiate teacher collective bargaining agreements (CBA), effective preparation goes beyond merely reviewing budgets and timelines. School officials can set themselves up for success by entering the process with a clear understanding of their school’s legal obligations and the teachers’ union’s interests. Developing a strategy that adheres to the law and anticipates the union’s priorities will allow school officials to prepare clear proposals framed to promote...
The State School Aid Act establishes two student count days each school year to determine the amount of state aid distributed to a school: the first Wednesday in October and the second Wednesday in February. The 2026 spring (supplemental) count day is Wednesday, February 11, 2026.
School officials must strictly follow Pupil Accounting Manual requirements to count students in membership and must ensure that:
If you have ever attended a Thrun special education training, you likely heard us emphasize the importance of prior written notice (PWN). Not only is it an IDEA requirement, a PWN is the best vehicle for evidencing the legality of an IEP or other special education decisions. MDE’s new guidance document...