Michelle Alissa Ball
Student Attorney and Advocate
Michelle Ball has represented students throughout California since 1995 in expulsion, suspension, special education, 504, sports, bullying, Title IX, discrimination and many other student matters.
Michelle assists parents and students with public and private, pre-K, elementary, middle school and high school problems, as well as college difficulties, across California.
Michelle is located in Sacramento and has a highly informative website and blog on student education issues.
https://edlaw4students.com/
https://edlaw4students.com/blog/
- Education Law
-
Credit Cards Accepted
Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
- California
-
- English: Spoken, Written
- Owner/attorney
- Law Office of Michelle Ball
- - Current
- Education attorney for students assisting with expulsion, suspension, discipline, transfer, special education, 504, sports, attendance, harassment, discrimination, and most other education law issues. Helping students in public and private schools, at all grade levels, including pre-school, elementary, junior high, high school, and college since 1995.
- University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law
- J.D. (1994)
- Honors: Graduated "With Distinction," top 25% of class
-
- Univ of California Santa Barbara
- B.A. (1991) | Law & Society
-
- California State Bar # 173429
- Member
- - Current
-
Bullied Students Have School Transfer Priority. Victims Rights (California Law)
Bullying in school, victims rights, school transfers. What can parents and students do? California law can help victims of bullying. Know your rights!
Can
If the parent removes the student from the school or school district prior to the expulsion hearing, can the school district still expel the student? Know Your Rights!
Do Schools Have To Follow Student 504 Plans? Yes!
504s are legally binding documents which obligate schools to do the things required by the 504 Plan. 504 Plans are powerful. A 504 Plan is a written document for a qualified disabled student, which lists out various accommodations which the school is supposed to put in place while the student is at school. Teachers, school, and district staff may be bound by a 504.
Expulsion Notices Have To Contain These Things To Be Legal
Expulsion notices have minimum legal requirements that have to be met in California to be legitimate.
Heavy College Discipline Agreements For Minor Allegations Are Bad
College students facing discipline allegations may be desperate to resolve allegations against them, even if they may be false. Sadly, sometimes distressed university students sign bad agreements due to fear.
How To Get An Interdistrict Transfer
Here is how a parent can get an interdistrict school transfer for a student in California.
How To Get Schools To Actually Implement A 504 Plan
Once a parent actually HAS a 504 plan for a student, the fight has just begun. There is a difference between having a 504 plan on paper and actually getting it carried out in school. Here is how you get schools to implement student 504 plans.
How To Stop Military Recruiters At High Schools From Talking To Your Child
Don't want your high schooler recruited by the military? Here's what parents can do.
Physical Assault Means No More High School Sports
What is a PHYSICAL assault on a sports official, referee, umpire, coach or other game or event official? Can a student be banned from sports and if so how do you lift a ban? What is the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF)?
School Exclusions Under Title IX (Sex Harassment) Can Be Brutal
Sudden exclusions for sexual harassment under the federal law, Title IX, are devastating students. Students may be moved or pushed out of their regular school environment while the Title IX process progresses, and may face even harsher discipline, such as expulsion, after the Title IX process concludes. Parents need to know about this difficult law.
Sixteen Rights Parents May Not Know They Have
Can a parent question anything in their child's records? Can you refuse psychological testing? Can you observe your child
Special Education and Bullying- How To Get More Help
Parents can get help from the special education IEP team when a special needs student is bullied, or bullies.
Special Education Meetings Are Powerful, When Should An IEP Be Requested?
Sometimes a special education meeting, aka an IEP, should be requested by a parent. Find out when.
Suspension and Expulsion of Innocent Students
School discipline can be imposed even if a student is innocent. When a student is up for school punishment, such as suspension or expulsion, everyone presumes they
Teachers Must Now Spy And Report California Students Scary Writings
Did you know that teachers in California must report students for things they write which could show homicidal intent, in their journals, papers, or in other locations. Schools are now secret spies and this can lead to trouble for kids who scribble a weapon on a page or write a horror story.
Want To Fight A School Expulsion? Don't Do These Things!
Avoid these things at student expulsion hearings!
What To Say At A School Expulsion Hearing To Get A Better Outcome
Tips on what to say at a student expulsion hearing to get a better result
- Q. Are there laws in California allowing students to participate in sports not offered by their school?
- A: This is a complex area. You did not say what grade the students may be in. Schools may be able to make agreements with other schools to have sports offered in conjunction with those schools, (or sometimes charters even form consortiums for competitions, depending on the grade). Regardless, this generally has to be negotiated between the schools, and if concerning official high school sports, per CIF (California Interscholastic Federation) bylaws (see bylaw 303). If your school had swimming and discontinued it, it is possible the students may be able to transfer to/enroll in a new school during high school with a full hardship due to a "discontinued program" which means they would ... Read More
- Q. Legal advice on CA Ed code 35183 uniform opt-out policy opt-out request legality?
- A: If this is a public school, this code applies. If it is a private school, it is up to them. They can have a form a parent has to submit, the law does not cover this. Their board policy should be checked.
If it is a public school and they won't follow the law, you may need an attorney, unfortunately. Perhaps just see what they say first and then proceed accordingly.
- Q. What legal options exist when a child is injured at school and receives inadequate response from authorities?
- A: Per Education Code section 48915, a student that possess a dangerous object must be recommended for expulsion unless the school/district determines another means of correction is appropriate. The district holds the power to determine discipline and seems to have rejected exclusion at this time, which is a bit surprising. If the child is bullying your child or has ongoing incidents, you can file bullying complaints in writing for each incident, and work with the site to develop a plan to protect your child. They have to protect students from bullying, although many sites fall short.
Here is an excerpt from that section which mandates an expulsion recommendation for, among others,
"Possession ... Read More
