While there are different regulations surrounding daycares and schools, civil cases can still be brought forward in circumstances of abuse or neglect occurring at a school. Typically, the major difference is the liable party. While a daycare organization can be sued, public entities like schools or school districts cannot be held liable due to sovereign immunity. One exception to this is in the case of dangerous physical conditions on school property.
Private schools are not subject to sovereign immunity and therefore can be liable in a wider breadth of abuse or neglect cases. Additionally, in the case of both private and public school abuse, the individual educator responsible for the wrongdoing can be held liable in court.