Education

SUCCESSFUL CROSS OFFICE TRANSACTIONAL PRO BONO WORK FOR APPLESEED PROJECT

The “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001” is being evaluated for renewal in 2007, and its efficacy is being reviewed to ensure that the legislation is meeting its goals.  One of the centerpieces of the law is the requirements that Limited English Proficient (LEP) students be included in the accountability statistics that must report to the United States Department of Education in order to receive federal funding under the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.”  This ensures that these children are not ignored in the determination of whether LEPs (who are one of the fastest growing populations in U.S. school systems) are meeting the adequate yearly progress requirements required for all school districts.  However, while the importance of this statutory goal is not in question, whether the LEP provisions of the law function as intended is subject to debate.

Appleseed, a nonprofit, public-interest law center, asked Heller Ehrman to prepare a report detailing how six states have implemented the LEP provisions of the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.”  The purpose of the report was to determine whether the states are in compliance with these provisions and to provide recommendations regarding areas where state and local implementation of the law can be improved.  This project required Heller Ehrman attorneys to analyze the applicable laws of Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Massachusetts, Nebraska and Washington relating to their respective means of identifying LEP students, implementing parental notification requirements, teaching LEPs, assessing LEPs and accommodating LEPs when administering Title I mandatory assessments of LEP students.

Heller Ehrman lawyers also reviewed implementing regulations, guidelines or other information made publicly available by each state and discussed with representatives of the respective state education departments the practical implementation of the LEP provisions of the “No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.”  Based upon these analyses and discussions, Heller Ehrman also provided various recommendations to Appleseed for further research at the state and local level that would be necessary to determine the effect of the states’ laws and practices pertaining to LEPs.

A team led by San Diego’s Margaret Mann and Seattle’s Fred Corbit, together with San Francisco’s Michaeline Correa and Shannon Scott; and New York’s Jeremy Sussman finalized the report for publication in May. Additional attorneys and staff contributed to the research and editing, including San Francisco’s Mark Hoogland; Los Angeles’ Paul Barrs, Leo Caseria and Anna Zusman; New York’s Timothy Mehok; San Diego’s Michele McConnell and Chris Perkins; Seattle’s Sonya Erickson; Silicon Valley’s Jim Fox, Kristen Kercher and Han Le.

ALL-STARS HELPING KIDS

All Stars Helping Kids (ASHK) is a nonprofit organization that supports educational organizations and programs for children in low-income communities.  ASHK is notable for its partnership with prominent athletes such as Ronnie Lott, Harris Barton, Marcus Allen and Emmitt Smith.  Currently operating in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Dallas, ASHK intends to expand its activities across the United States in partnership with prominent local athletes.

ASHK recently engaged Heller Ehrman to serve as its outside general counsel.  Heller Ehrman has advised ASHK on implementing its national expansion strategy, fund raising and licensing opportunities with well-known for-profit and not-for-profit enterprises.  Headlining the ASHK engagement are San Francisco’s Dan Titelbaum and Babak Nikravesh; and Silicon Valley’s Karen Berk and Han Le.