Who is writing this blog? California Education Attorney Michelle Ball

By Michelle Ball, California Education Attorney for Students since 1995

Hello!

The blogging world is a new one for me.  I am an attorney in Sacramento, California practicing education law on behalf of students since 1995.  I handle a whole gamut of issues, including student discipline matters, expulsions, suspensions and suspension appeals, even protesting inappropriate behavior contracts and other punishments.  I also delve into special education, attend IEP (Individualized Education Program) meetings, 504 meetings, and file due process as needed.  Help usually begins with a review of documents, and correspondence to the school, school district or college involved.  Oftentimes I can resolve matters via phone and email without leaving my office.  Sometimes we have to go further as a personal appearance is required   (e.g. at an expulsion hearing or board of education meeting) or necessary to move things along.  My clients also help determine which way a matter will go.

Popular posts from this blog

Filing A CIF Appeal On Sports Denials, How Does The Hearing Process Work?

By Michelle Ball, California Education Attorney for Students since 1995 Has your son or daughter been banned from playing sports by the local CIF office due to an alleged "sports motivated" t ransfer?  Is your initial sit-out period being denied on your first change of schools?  Or is your child banned for some other reason which you dispute?  If so, it may be time to move forward with a formal appeal to the State  CIF  Appeals Office .  How does this process work?   How things go with an individual school/site/student can vary, but usually the process starts before most parents realize the seriousness of the situation.  Let's take transfer eligibility as our example.  Other issues may also be sent to the local CIF office and a similar process would occur. If a parent is lucky, they may be notified that their child's transfer eligibility is being sent up to the local CIF Commissioner.  If they are really lucky, they may be notified that ...
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Be Careful Not To Break the Transfer Rules of the California Interscholastic Federation or You May be Banned from Playing Certain Sports

By Michelle Ball, California Education Attorney for Students since 1995 Please note, CIF rules have changed and the below is based on rules prior to July 2012.  See my new blog here on the new "improved" rules. Sports issues are plentiful in the school arena.  A frequent issue which arises involves the transfer rules under the California Interscholastic Federation, aka CIF. CIF governs public school sports at the high school level and in some junior high schools as well.  They write various rules and bylaws which govern how students play, who can play, and other items.  The rules can be seen here  http://www.cifstate.org/governance/constitution_bylaws/index.html . One of the most frequent areas with which my clients have trouble involve the CIF transfer eligibility rules, Rules 206 and 207.  These are important as they can prohibit a student from playing certain sports if they change schools without meeting the CIF eligibility requirements.  The rules...
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Interdistrict Transfers in California: Can A School Require You To Reapply?

By  Michelle Ball , California Education Attorney for Students since 1995 Interdistrict transfers (move of student from one school district to another at parent request) are common events.  A parent does not like where their child attends school,  the district programs available (e.g. no GATE), wants their child closer to work, or otherwise wants to move their child.  They then request a transfer to another school district.  Once that transfer request is granted, can the school require students to reapply year after year for a transfer?  No. Per California Education Code section 46600 , two school districts may enter an agreement to accept students of  the other district.  Once accepted on an interdistrict transfer, however: "[T]he pupil shall not have to reapply for an interdistrict transfer, and the governing board of the school district of enrollment shall allow the pupil to continue to attend the school in which he or she is enrolled." This i...
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