If you are a teacher, a business working with a school, or have ever been a student, chances are at some point you have run across education legal forms. An educational legal form can range from a simple permission slip allowing your child to go on a field trip to forms allowing teachers to apply for a job in a specific state. If you have a business relationship with an educational institution, you may even have come across an educational legal document requiring you to meet non-discrimination guidelines or other legal standards.

When you're dealing with education law documents, here's what you need to know:

1. Educational legal documents generally apply in three areas: those covering students, those covering teachers, and those covering businesses that work with educational institutions.
2. Educational law forms can, more often then not, be found on school websites or the websites of the state department of education.
3. Education legal contracts can range from the very simple, such as permission slips, to extremely complex, as in the case of conducting business with educational institutions.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

When doing business with a school district, check the district website for an educational law form

School districts have most of the required educational legal forms available directly on their websites.

I recommend: A good example of how this works is on the New York City Department of Education site, where educational legal documents, ranging from precontracting to HR, are provided. Oftentimes, school district websites have sections specifically covering contracting with the district, including the necessary educational law documents. A good example of this is the Chicago Public Schools (CPS) page on doing business with the CPS.

Head to the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) or a state DOE website to find educational law forms

The U.S. Department of Education or individual state DOE's are a good source for forms when doing educational business above the district level.

I recommend: Finding the website for any state department of education you need is easy if you go to the Education Resource Organizations Directory at the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) website. It has a complete listing of all 50 state department of education websites. The U.S. Department of Education also has educational legal forms covering grants, certification of eligibility for federal assistance, and disclosure of lobbying activities.

For specific educational legal form needs, try specialized websites and products

Several national educational organizations offer educational law documents on their websites.

I recommend: A good example of this is the National Association of Special Education Teachers, which has an educational legal document list dealing with special education on their website. The No Child Left Behind educational law requires new educational legal forms and LRP Publications has a CD available that can help you with the proper documents for handling the latest No Child Left Behind requirements.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  An education law form is not a substitute for an education law firm. Always consult with an attorney before submitting any form.
• •  State Departments of Education and school district websites are reliable when it comes to forms. Be careful, however, when obtaining educational forms from other sources.
• •  Some education entities will allow you to submit education legal contracts through their website.