K-12 schools and institutions of higher education should be keenly aware of the laws and best practices for engagement with minors (i.e., persons under the age of 18).  Teachers, non-instructional staff, coaches, and volunteers in every school district interact with minors on a daily basis.  In higher ed, faculty, staff, and even college students themselves regularly interact with minors in the context of collegiate athletics and recruiting; college and university admissions programs; and summer school sessions and internships for high-school students.

As the landscape of college athletics undergoes fundamental changes, institutions of higher education (“IHEs”) have a myriad of new issues to consider. At Hunton, attorneys in our Higher Education and Private Schools practice are well prepared to advise on these issues and assist on topics including:

On April 23, 2025, the Administration issued an Executive Order entitled “Reforming Accreditation to Strengthen Higher Education” along with an accompanying fact sheet. An institution of higher education’s accreditation is a prerequisite for participation in the U.S. Department of Education’s federal student financial aid program under Title IV.