Education Law

The regulations, rules and laws regulating education are immense, complicated and always changing. As such, it is crucial to partner with a legal team that has comprehensive knowledge of these practice areas. We represent public and private school students in elementary grades through graduation. We also handle students affected by legal violations while enrolled in colleges and universities.

At the California-based Leigh Law Group, a large part of our attorneys’ practice focuses on education, special education, suspension, expulsion and school law. We are prepared to bring our years of experience to advocate for you. When Leigh Law Group acts on your behalf, we demonstrate a strong commitment to your case and are relentless in our goals for seeking remedies and justice. There are also times when we are called upon to handle bullying issues, collegiate and student-athlete matters, educational records challenges, and school-parent conflict resolution.

Helping You Handle Expulsions

Understandably, expulsion and suspension issues are deeply concerning to students and their parents. In a world where parents and their children are struggling with the challenges of texting and use of online apps, and where bullying, weapons and other related issues result in suspension, or worse, expulsion, we are specialists in representing students. Expulsion and suspension can have long-lasting effects and can force students to move into other educational settings and otherwise significantly affect their education and future. We are prepared to do everything possible to protect your rights and well-being in cases involving:

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The expulsion process: From the notice to the investigation, our attorneys will represent you and your child through the entire process of expulsion.
The suspension process: Many parents don’t know their rights to challenge a suspension or what their child’s rights are after being suspended. Given their years of experience, our attorneys can provide immediate answers to our clients.
Mandatory expulsion: Some incidents and behavior can result in an immediate and mandated expulsion. You can still challenge the expulsion, however, and we will help you do so.
Expulsion settlements: Whether you settle the expulsion by your child admitting wrongdoing or through negotiation, Leigh Law Group will protect your child’s rights, assure a fair arrangement and return your child to school with guidance on avoiding future behavioral problems.

We can also assist you and your child in any issues involving colleges or universities such as administrative hearings for academic probation, academic suspension or permanent school removal.

When a Grade Isn't Just a Grade: California Parents' Right to Challenge Unsubstantiated Marks Under Education Code § 49070

California parents frustrated by vague grading — a C+ with no rubric, no written criteria, and no clear explanation — often assume there's nothing to be done. Education Code § 49066 does give teachers broad discretion over grade determinations, and a grade is generally final absent clerical mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency. But that's not the end of the analysis. A grade is also a pupil record, and under Education Code § 49070, parents have a statutory right to challenge the content of any pupil record on six specific grounds, including that the record is "an unsubstantiated personal conclusion or inference," "misleading," or "inaccurate." A grade awarded without a communicated rubric or defined criteria fits squarely within those grounds.

The § 49070 process is a real procedural vehicle, not a suggestion. Parents file a written challenge with the superintendent, who must meet with the parent and the teacher within 30 days and issue a decision. If denied, the parent has 30 days to appeal to the governing board, which holds a closed session and issues a final decision — reviewable by writ if the parent preserves the record. While the board cannot override the teacher's grade determination without giving the teacher an opportunity to be heard, it can and does order corrections when a grade lacks a substantiated basis. For families stuck in a loop of vague feedback and unexplained marks, § 49070 reframes the dispute: the question isn't whether the child deserves a better grade, but whether the record itself is supportable under the statute. At Leigh Law Group, we help California families navigate these challenges strategically — preserving rights, creating a clean administrative record, and holding districts to the procedures the Education Code requires.