Education Law Center

May news: PA gets a new funding formula; new guidance affirms rights for transgender students; misuse of school police
Pennsylvania legislature sends school funding formula to Governor
As HB 1552 heads to Governor Wolf's desk after being passed by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in the General Assembly, Pennsylvania is poised to join most other states in the nation in using a funding formula to fairly distribute basic education dollars based on student and district needs. While this formula is a major step forward for equitable public education funding, it will only be effective if the General Assembly appropriates sufficient dollars to fund the formula.
ELC endorses new Title IX guidance affirming rights for transgender students
Education Law Center applauds the U.S. Departments of Justice and Education for issuing important guidance clarifying that Title IX, the law that bans sex discrimination in federally funded education programs, protects transgender students. ELC is working with the Pittsburgh Public Schools, the School District of Philadelphia, and other districts to ensure implementation and fair treatment of all of our students. 
ELC urges Pittsburgh Public Schools to prioritize inclusion
ELC Staff Attorney Cheryl Kleiman testified at the Pittsburgh Public School Board hearing about the need to co-construct policies and practices with students and parents that decrease the use of exclusionary discipline and increase educational outcomes and opportunities for all students. ELC also urged the board to adopt a proposed nondiscrimination policy for transgender students and elevate the Program for Students with Exceptionalities to a cabinet-level position to reflect the District's commitment to inclusion for students with disabilities. 
Incident at Philly school another troubling result of lack of resources
In a letter to the Philadelphia Inquirer, ELC Executive Director Deborah Gordon Klehr wrote that the alleged assault of a student by a school police officer at Benjamin Franklin High School in Philadelphia is another troubling result of a lack of resources and insufficient training. Moreover, "school police should not be used as hall monitors, and this episode raises questions about the roles school police play locally, statewide, and nationally."
ELC Fellow testifies on poor educational opportunities available to incarcerated youth
Stoneleigh Foundation Emerging Leader Fellow  Ashley Sawyer testified to the Philadelphia City Council's newly formed Special Committee on Criminal Justice Reform, speaking on the  need to address the school-to-prison pipeline and the poor educational opportunities available to incarcerated youth. 
Ensuring equal access: ELC trains shelter and service providers
Earlier this month, ELC trained staff at one of Philadelphia's largest family shelter and service providers on the educational rights of children experiencing homelessness, focusing particularly on access to special education services, early intervention screenings, and quality early childhood education programs. This work is part of our larger efforts to ensure all children have access to a quality public education. 
Save the date! Education Law Center event to be  held in Philadelphia on September 29
Please save the date for Education Law Center's Annual Celebration.  We are pleased to announce that this year's event will honor outstanding champions in the fight to ensure access to quality public education for every student: 
  • Pepper Hamilton LLP, for the firm's commitment to Pennsylvania's public school students and years of engagement with ELC; 
  • Signe Wilkinson, the Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist best known for her work at the Philadelphia Daily News, Inquirer and Philly.com; and 
  • Dr. Monique W. Morris, author, professor, and social justice scholar; co-founder of the National Black Women's Justice Institute and author of Push-Out: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools.
And we will present the ELC Pro Bono Award t o: Paul Saint-Antoine and Chanda Miller from Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP who have dedicated countless pro bono hours as we together help clients facing illegal school barriers.
Join the Campaign for Fair Education Funding
Alongside 50 organizations across Pennsylvania, Education Law Center is a leading member of the Campaign for Fair Education Funding. Click below to read more about our efforts to ensure that every student has access to a quality education no matter where he or she lives.
United Way Donor Choice Codes: 1873 (Southeastern PA); 4547 (Allegheny County)

A copy of the Education Law Center's official registration and financial information may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.  
Ensuring access to a quality public education for all children in Pennsylvania
 
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