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May 2026
Dear Readers of the Extra Mile:
Since we last wrote you, Hodges Loizzi celebrated our 36th anniversary on May 1. When we opened our doors on May 1, 1990, we occupied a small space on the first floor of the 3030 Salt Creek Lane building in Arlington Heights (which, incidentally, may soon be part of the Chicago Bears' new stadium complex).
While our offices on the second floor were being built, six attorneys worked on card tables with unlinked PCs, stored files on floppy disks, and utilized "car phones." That building would remain our Chicago area home for three decades (we're big on stability).
Today, we have 30+ attorneys and senior counsel serving all regions of our beautiful state. Our flagship office is now at 500 Park Boulevard in the Hamilton Lakes complex in Itasca, with two other locations in Peoria and O’Fallon. Technology has changed radically since 1990, but our formula has not; we provide superb legal representation to our school clients in an ever-changing, complex legal environment.
Join the Extra Mile Mailing List!
As the end of the fiscal year approaches, many of you are moving on to other positions in different schools and joint agreements. Don't miss a single issue of the Extra Mile! Please click HERE to provide your updated information.
Similarly, if you know any of your fellow administrators who would benefit from the Extra Mile’s practical updates and legal insights (or our monthly viewing recommendations), please feel free to forward this email so they can subscribe.
As our readers know, there is nothing like the Extra Mile to keep busy school administrators apprised of critical legal developments, as well as how to avoid legal liability and the enormous costs of litigation (see Mirabelli below).
Save the Date for The Year in Review Conferences!
Dates and locations are set for our 2026 Year in Review conferences in conjunction with our partners at IASPA. Notably, after maxing out our conference space in Peoria and to better serve school leaders across central Illinois, we are pleased to offer the 2026 Year in Review in Bloomington. We think you will enjoy the new location.
Here is the 2026 lineup:
- October 6 - Bloomington (Bloomington-Normal Marriott)
- October 13 - Collinsville (Doubletree by Hilton)
- October 29 - Itasca (Westin Chicago Northwest)
When registration opens in late summer, make your reservation early. Space is limited at all three locations and can sell out quickly.
Student Handbook Checklist
Spring has arrived, and with it, the need for schools to review their student handbooks. Hodges Loizzi has revised and updated its Student Handbook Checklist for 2026, and it is now available for purchase through this order form.
If you wish to have a complete review of your student handbook, contact any of our Student/Special Education Practice Group attorneys.
Student handbooks have become a source of litigation for many school districts, so ensure yours is complete and up-to-date to avoid litigation and limit your legal costs. Order your checklist today!
ISBE Amends Physical Restraint and Time Out Form 11-01; District Action Required
ISBE recently amended its Physical Restraint and Time Out Form 11-01, adding a new Section “E” that, in part, requires school districts to provide information on how to request an evaluation under IDEA and Section 504. This requirement is not new; it has always been in the ISBE regulations governing isolated time out and physical restraint. What is new is the inclusion of the requirement in the Form 11-01.
All school districts/cooperatives should immediately review their procedure for providing all required information to parents/guardians when issuing a Form 11-01.
School districts continue to face challenges in implementing the legal requirements governing isolated time out and physical restraint. Please contact any of our Student/Special Education Practice Group attorneys with your inquiries.
Mirabelli Attorneys' Fees Update: Over $4,500,000 Awarded
As you know, we have been closely following the ongoing California litigation in Mirabelli v. Olson. Mirabelli involves a lawsuit filed by two middle school teachers challenging California's “parental exclusion policy” regarding the disclosure of students’ gender status to parents. The lawsuit involves the Escondido Unified School District and multiple state defendants.
As we reported in previous issues, the trial court ruled for the plaintiffs, the 9th Circuit stayed the trial court's order, and the SCOTUS reinstated the trial court order. The plaintiffs' attorneys then sought a fee award, and the trial court granted $4,526,888, where the judge noted in his award the "defendants' litigation intransigence." The judge also approved a top hourly rate of over $1,500 per hour.
The Thomas More Society, which is representing the plaintiffs in Mirabelli, has pledged to pursue similar claims against other school districts nationwide.
Mirabelli is critical both for its substantive holding and for illuminating schools' risks of civil rights litigation related to the rights of transgender students.
Contact Michelle Todd with inquiries about transgender student rights.
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