2026 Spring Legal Lab - virtual via Zoom
Virtual via Zoom
* Registration open until 4/13/26 at 9:00 AM (CDT)
Event Details
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 virtually as we work cover practical, real-world applications using case studies and actual events.
For More Information:
12199 Stratford DriveClive, Iowa 50325
United States 515.267.1115
Facilitator: Matt Carver, J.D., SAI
- Log-in instructions and any resources will be emailed prior to the event.
Licensure renewal credit: learn your options for earning credit.
Registration fee: $125 for SAI members, $250 for non-members. All participants are required to register.
Cancellation/refund policy: Registrants are responsible for full payment unless cancellation is received at least three business days in advance of the event. Email SAI or call 515-267-1115 to let us know if you're unable to attend.
Artificial Intelligence (AI): While we appreciate the efficiency of AI productivity tools, we ask that all AI note-takers and recording bots be disabled during our professional learning sessions for intellectual property protection, privacy and psychological safety, and finally to maintain your active presence. Note: If you require specific accessibility accommodations or have a documented need for transcription services, please reach out to the session coordinator privately so we can provide a solution that respects our speakers' privacy.