Overview

Megan Macy is the Managing Partner of Lozano Smith's Sacramento office, where she provides comprehensive general counsel to school districts and other educational agencies throughout California. As an active member of the firm's Labor and Employment, Facilities and Business, and Charter School practice groups, Ms. Macy distinguishes her work with a client-centered approach and an unwavering commitment to serving California's students and communities.

Client-Centered Approach
At the heart of Ms. Macy's practice is an understanding of and dedication to each client's unique needs, always with a focus on the ultimate impact on students and communities. This includes:

• Developing strong, collaborative relationships with school administrators and governing boards to understand organizational culture and goals
• Crafting options to help clients develop solutions that address the unique needs of school communities
• Working alongside school administrators to develop excellent business practices and foster positive labor relations
• Maintaining high accessibility to support timely, informed decision-making
• Advocating in various forums on behalf of schools

Areas of Expertise
Ms. Macy's comprehensive understanding of education and public agency law includes:

• Governance, including Brown Act compliance, effective board governance, conflicts of interest management, and Public Records Act adherence
• Employee/Employer Relations and Employment Law
• Facilities & Business, including procurement, development issues, real property transactions, CEQA, and Audit Appeals
• Charter School Law

Speaking Expertise and Professional Involvement
Ms. Macy is a regular speaker for various educational organizations, including:

• California School Boards Association (CSBA)
• California School Business Officials Association (CASBO)
• Association of California School Administrators (ACSA)
• Coalition for Adequate School Housing (CASH)
• Council of School Attorneys (CCSA)

Additionally, Ms. Macy serves as a member of the Legislative Advisory Committee for the Coalition for Adequate School Housing, contributing her expertise to shape policy and advocate for improved school facilities across California.

Education

• University of Oregon, J.D. (2003)
• Specialized training in Alternative Dispute Resolution
• Washington & Lee University, B.A., Public Policy and Religion (2000)
• Completed the Shepherd Program for the Interdisciplinary Study of Poverty
• University of Virginia, Darden School of Business, Partnership for Leaders in Education, Ignite Training (2024)

Ms. Macy's educational background, combining legal expertise with a strong foundation in and continuing study of public policy and educational leadership, enhances her ability to provide holistic, empathetic counsel to school administrators and governing boards.

School Board Prevails Against PERB in For-Cause Dismissal of Union President

By: Megan Macy, Gabriela Flowers- 02/06/2024

Governor Newsom Signs Comprehensive Reforms for Charter Schools

By: Megan Macy, Erin Hamor, Edward Sklar, Courtney de Groof- 10/03/2019

Significant Cases

• In the precedent setting case, Anderson Union High School District v. Shasta Secondary Home School (2016) 4 Cal.App.5th 262, Ms. Macy argued before the Third District Court of Appeal, and was part of the Lozano Smith team that prevailed when the Court confirmed that the geographic and site limitations of the Charter Schools Act (Ed. Code, § 47600 et seq.) are applicable to all charter schools, including “nonclassroom-based” programs.
• In New Jerusalem Elementary School District v. Academy of Arts & Sciences Charter School, San Joaquin County Superior Court Case No. STC-cv-UMC-2016-1072, Ms. Macy was part of the Lozano Smith team obtaining a $1.5 million settlement on behalf of New Jerusalem School District against a charter schools for recovery of funds allocated to two charter schools previously operated by the charter schools, which became dependent charter schools operated by the District. The settlement was reached after Lozano Smith successfully argued that such funds belonged and should follow the students to which the funding was allocated by the State.
• In an audit appeal by Orinda Union School District, the Education Audit Appeals Panel determined the District’s auditor erred in applying legal standards during an audit that were not applicable at the time the District’s questioned conduct occurred. As a result, the District retained over $635,000 in State Funding for its academic programs.  (Appeal of 2009-10 Audit Finding 10-07 by Orinda Union School District, EAAP Case No. 11-13.)
• Successfully negotiating resolution of multi-party construction litigation stemming from contractor termination. (Air Systems, Inc., v. Campbell Union High School District.)
• Successfully negotiating resolution of facilities accessibility issues related to existing consent decree. (Spieler v. Mt. Diablo Unified School District.)

Episode 57 State Board of Education Considers First Charter School Petition Appeals Post AB-1505

By: Megan Macy, Courtney de Groof- 10/11/2022

As discussed in Episode 56, there were three pending charter school petition appeals to the State Board of Education (SBE) following denial by the respective LEAs. These were the first three charter petition appeals subject to the new appeal processes since Assembly Bill 1505 became effective in 2020. In this Lozano Smith Podcast episode, host Sloan Simmons engages with Megan Macy and Courtney de Groof to follow-up and discuss the outcomes of these petition appeals and what to anticipate going forward.

Charter School Reform Laws Have Been Enacted - Now What?

By: Megan Macy, Edward Sklar- 10/17/2019

Following months of discussion regarding the impact that charter schools have had on traditional public schools, the Legislature has passed, and Governor Newsom has signed, two bills that will have wide-ranging impacts on California charter schools and their authorizers. Joining host Devon Lincoln to discuss these new laws, and what charter school authorizers need to know about these changes, are attorneys Megan Macy and Ed Sklar.

Fulfilling the Promise of the Charter Schools Act - How Competition Sparked Trilingual Immersion in a Traditional Public School

By: Megan Macy, Sloan Simmons- 01/07/2019

In this Lozano Smith podcast, moderator Sloan Simmons engages with Dr. Daryl Camp, Superintendent of the Riverbank Unified School District, and Lozano Smith Partner Megan Macy, regarding a burgeoning and healthy competition between two separate dual immersion programs operated in Riverbank, one through a dependent charter school and another through in a traditional district school. Their discussion explores how this existing dynamic in Riverbank serves one of the original purposes of the Charter Schools Act, the benefits of this unique situation, and some of the challenges which arose along the way.