Lozano Smith's Student Practice Group is recognized statewide for its steadfast, proactive and creative assistance to school districts and expertise on a broad range of student issues, due to the large number of school districts that we represent and the fact that we have represented schools for more than 35 years.
Areas of Practice
To best serve the needs and promote the success of its clients, the firm's Student Practice Group has broad expertise in:
Title IX
Lozano Smith’s Title IX Practice Area is comprised of specialists dedicated to the pressing issues faced clients. From athletics to sexual violence, this team advises, trains, and educates clients on the various components of Title IX – from prevention and mitigation to investigations resulting in disciplinary action. Areas in which the group provides advice and training include:
- Athletics, including audits of athletic programs
- Sex-based discrimination
- Pregnant and parenting students
- Single-sex education
- Issues relating to transgender and students
- Developing and auditing complaint grievance procedures and policies
- Responding to reports of sexual misconduct and harassment
- Investigating complaints of sexual misconduct and harassment
- Title IX Coordinator roles and responsibilities
- District and employee liability
- Reporting obligations
- Interaction with law enforcement agencies
- Discipline of students
- Litigation
- VAWA/Clery Act
- Trainings
Real World Applications
The Student Practice Group at Lozano Smith understands the hurdles and opportunities facing its clients, and has an unsurpassed level of experience and
expertise to protect the interests and promote the success of school districts, their staff and students. Of particular significance is the firm's
leadership in student discipline matters. Lozano Smith regularly helps districts to develop comprehensive policies and regulations aimed at preventing
student discipline problems, as well as all other policy issues impacting student rights, including student speech, student clubs, student transfers, and
student fees, to name only a few. When discipline problems do surface, the firm provides practical advice and assistance as to all aspects of suspensions,
expulsions, involuntary transfers and alternative forms of discipline.
New Law Expands Students’ Rights at Graduation Ceremonies
October 2025Number 44Assembly Bill (AB) 1369 was signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 26, 2025. The bill strengthens and clarifies students’ existing right to wear traditional tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance during graduation ceremonies and related school events.BackgroundUnder existing law, students are permitted to wear traditional tribal regalia or recognized objects of religious or cultural significance as adornments during...
New Laws Targeting Antisemitism in Schools Aim to Redefine How Schools Respond to Discrimination
October 16, 2025 Number 43 On October 7, 2025, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 715 and Senate Bill (SB) 48, which together broaden antidiscrimination provisions in the Education Code to further address antisemitism, impose new obligations for local educational agencies (LEAs) to investigate and respond to allegations of discrimination, and create the California Office of Civil Rights to support and monitor LEAs in addressing antisemitism and other forms of discrimination and bias.&...
California Expands School District Obligations to Protect Students, Families, and Employees from Immigration Enforcement
October 3, 2025 Number 41 In response to the rescission of federal agency policies limiting immigration enforcement on school grounds (see Lozano Smith’s 2025 Client News Brief Number 9), Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 49 and Senate Bill (SB) 98, both of which took effect immediately. These bills aim to expand protections for students, families, and employees of school districts by creating new obligations when and if immigration enforcement officers attempt to acces...
Trump Administration Sues CDE and CIF for Title IX Violations
July 28, 2025 Number 31 The United States Department of Education (Department) has determined that the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) violated Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) by “allowing males in girls’ sports and intimate spaces,” and preventing equality of opportunities for girls in athletics. Background On February 5, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order (EO) titled &ld...
Mahmoud v. Taylor: Supreme Court Affirms Parental Opt-Out Rights in Curriculum Dispute
July 2025Number 28The Supreme Court has held that the parents of elementary school students challenging a school board’s introduction of LGBTQ+-inclusive storybooks, along with the board’s decision not to provide notice or allow opt outs, are entitled to a preliminary injunction. In doing so, the Court has broadened the range of policies that may be subjected to strict scrutiny for First Amendment Free Exercise challenges, indicating that policies that “substantially interfe...
Safer Rides Ahead? SB 88 Imposes Stricter Standards on all School-Related Student Transportation Starting July 1, 2025
June 30, 2025 Number 27 On October 7, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 88, which takes effect on July 1, 2025, and sets minimum health, safety, and oversight standards for drivers employed or contracted by school districts who transport students for any school-related transportation. Like many new laws, SB 88 poses many uncertainties and practical challenges for local educational agencies (LEAs) across the state in the effort of ensuring safe and reliable transportation f...
No Special Hurdles U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Higher Burden for Students in Disability Discrimination Claims
June 27, 2025 Number 26 On June 12, 2025, the United States Supreme Court issued a decision in A.J.T. by and through A.T. v. Osseo Area Schools, Independent School District No. 279 (U.S., June 12, 2025, No. 24-249) 605 U.S. __, holding that students bringing disability discrimination claims under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 cannot be held to a higher legal standard solely because their claims arise in an educational context. Specifical...
