Choosing the best education law school involves determining if a particular law school contains a wide enough offering of education law courses. Student disabilities, educational resource allocation, government regulation of schools, termination of teachers, and issues with student discipline are some of the topics covered in education law classes. Whether or not the law school has education law-related clinical programs, student organizations, and specialized career counseling are also important considerations. In situations where a student works or lives in a remote region, part-time programs or online law schools may be preferable.
Selecting a good education law school involves reviewing a law school’s course offerings in advance. A strong program will include courses in education law, law and higher education, and disability law. These courses cover legal problems encountered in elementary, secondary and higher education, both in private and public schools. The role of the legal system and its impact on education issues is usually a commonly discussed theme in these courses.
High-quality law schools for education law will generally include specialized clinics. These clinics are usually staffed by law school students who, with supervision from faculty, provide legal assistance to parents in need. The issues encountered may involve at-risk children, students with disabilities, or general advocacy needs for improving educational services and standards in a particular situation.
A good education law school will have a career services and counseling department that assists students in finding work. Career services departments in a law school generally offer a list of available jobs. Choosing a law school that lists many opportunities in education law will increase the student’s chances of finding work upon graduation. A high-quality law school will also provide career counseling services to help students determine the best way to secure a career in education law.
The location of the education law school is also important. Selecting a law school that is located in a city or region with a higher population and a greater number of schools will increase the chances of employment opportunities. The prevalence of job opportunities in education law is an important point of consideration when seeking summer internships and entry-level work as a lawyer.
Another important consideration for choosing the best education law school is the student’s schedule. If full-time attendance is not possible due to work obligations or other responsibilities, a part-time program may be a good option. In some cases, students might consider online law school programs, which allow a student who works full-time to save on transportation time and costs. An online program may also be useful for studying education law while living in a remote region.
