2026 Spring Legal Lab

The legal landscape for K-12 administration is evolving rapidly. Join us for a hands-on, practical session designed to help you navigate complex scenarios involving student rights, staff responsibilities, and the ever-changing digital frontier. 

Topic 1: Search and Seizure – Students and Staff Members

Navigating a search requires total legal clarity. We will unpack the standards, define exactly when to involve law enforcement, and confirm your authority as an administrator to protect your students and your district.

• Law Enforcement & K9s: What are the actual rights of law enforcement on school property? What is the standard for a search, and how do K9s fit into the legal framework?
• Reasonable Suspicion: How do you move from a hunch to the legal standard of reasonable suspicion?
• Best Practices: How should searches be conducted when students are uncooperative?
• When to Call In: At what threshold should administrators involve outside law enforcement?
• Testing & Searches: What authority do you have regarding drug/alcohol testing for students and staff?
• Privacy Rights: How does the legal standard change when searching staff property versus school-owned property used by staff?

Topic 2: Technology Issues – Students, Staff, and the Public

From AI-generated content to navigating Iowa’s new smartphone legislation, technology continues to complicate school board policy.

• Social Media Management: How can administrators respond when community members post inaccurate information online?
• Smartphone Policy: What processes must be implemented to align with Iowa’s new smartphone laws?
• Student Online Activity: What authority do you have to discipline students for off-campus social media posts?
• The AI Impact: How is AI changing the administration of district policies, specifically regarding the creation of inappropriate images?
• Digital Safety: What are the best practices for monitoring student emails or messages when investigating threats or self-harm?
• Disability Law: How do IDEA and Section 504 impact technology restrictions following misuse?

Join us as we work cover practical, real-world applications using case studies and actual events.