Join ELC-PA Senior Attorney Paige Joki and a panel of advocates and legal experts for "AdDRESS for Success", a webinar exploring how affirming and legally compliant dress codes can improve school climate, protect student rights, and promote educational equity. 📅 September 18 ⏰ 3:00-4:30 PM ET

Today, parent advocates joined ELC-PA before Philadelphia City Council to call for action to end preschool pushout: the suspension, expulsion, and exclusion of young children from early learning programs. Read our press release here: bit.ly/4buaOkK

Make a lasting impact for Pennsylvania students by maximizing your charitable giving through a donor-advised fund (DAF). Your contribution to ELC-PA helps protect public institutions of learning and safeguard the rights of students—today and for generations to come.

Please join us in welcoming five outstanding new members to ELC-PA's Board of Directors: Nick Hertel, Kristen E. Murray, Jessica Stow, Patrick Yoest, and Justin Zimmerman. We are excited to have them join our board and look forward to the expertise and leadership they will bring to ELC-PA.

Our August newsletter is here! This month, we cover Phila. City Council Hearing on Preschool Pushout This Thursday, Residential Placement Safeguards, and more. Read the latest updates: conta.cc/3RLkFvK Subscribe to our newsletter: elc-pa.org/subscribe

Mark your calendars! Join us Sept. 30, 2026, at Vie by Cescaphe in Philadelphia for the Education Law Center’s 51st anniversary celebration. Sponsorships are available; ELC-PA’s premier fundraiser offers a chance to connect with education advocacy stakeholders. buff.ly/XiQkErG

“But our schools remain billions of dollars short of the funding the General Assembly identified ... And until every child — wherever they live — has access to a well-funded public school, Pennsylvania's constitutional obligation remains unmet.” said ELC-PA Executive Director Deborah Gordon Klehr.

Pennsylvania lawmakers today approved a third consecutive budget that increases adequacy funding for public schools, providing critical investments for addressing the state’s obligation to adequately and equitably fund our schools.

Legacy gifts are one of the most meaningful investments in the Education Law Center-PA’s mission and ensure that we remain at the forefront of education advocacy for future generations.

🌟 Parent Partners for Ending Preschool Pushout — Six powerful parent partners shared their lived experiences in our newest report, Ending Preschool Pushout in Pennsylvania: Parent Testimonies and a Path Forward, and they continue to advocate for a more equitable early childhood education system.

🌟 Morgan Lewis — Through their longstanding commitment to pro bono partnership and advocacy, Morgan Lewis helps advance education justice and generously supports ELC-PA's mission.

🌟 Dr. Dorothy Novick — A steadfast advocate for children and a valued leader on ELC-PA's Board of Directors. As she concludes her board service, we are honored to recognize her unwavering commitment to advancing children's health, well-being, and educational opportunity.

We're proud to share this powerful article by Rose Wehrman, Equal Justice Works Fellow at ELC-PA, featured in The Philadelphia Bar Reporter.

📬 ICYMI: Our July newsletter is here! This month, we cover the PA budget, important rights for trans student athletes, supporting students navigating intersecting inequities, and more. Read the latest updates. Read the latest updates: conta.cc/4gatysy

Mark your calendar! We invite you to join us Sept. 30, 2026, for the Education Law Center’s 51st anniversary at Vie by Cescaphe in Philadelphia. Sponsorships are available—ELC-PA’s premier fundraiser is a great chance to connect with education advocacy leaders. We hope you'll celebrate with us.

Read our full statement here: bit.ly/4oTHiKp

As June ends, ELC‑PA reaffirms our commitment to celebrating, supporting, and advocating with immigrant communities. We stand with Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition partners and local groups to protect newcomers’ and multilingual students’ right to safely access school and pursue education.

Every child has the right to attend public school regardless of immigration status. Our Immigrant Students' Rights Resource Page offers fact sheets, webinars, and advocacy tools to help students, families, and educators navigate immigration enforcement and disinformation. Explore: buff.ly/WX2TbHI

Questions About Extended School Year (ESY)? We’ve Got You Covered! ☀️📚 As summer begins, many students with disabilities across Pennsylvania are heading into ESY programs—designed to help prevent the loss of important skills over the break.

“Our kids cannot afford to wait.” ELC-PA Policy Director Hillary Linardopoulos joined Mayor Cherelle Parker and education leaders and advocates from across Pennsylvania in Harrisburg to urge continued progress toward adequate, equitable public school funding.

“The push to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education has already affected Pennsylvanians, especially disabled students and people who are experiencing discrimination,” according to ELC-PA Senior Attorney Margie Wakelin. Read the full article here: buff.ly/wjcPt4C

🚨 New statement from Education Law Center–PA (June 17, 2026) ELC‑PA urges state leaders not to abandon civil‑rights protections after the federal administration unlawfully moved the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) out of the U.S. DOE.

This June, ELC-PA reaffirms our commitment to celebrating, affirming, and advocating with LGBTQ+ communities. 🌈 We continue to fight efforts to undermine LGBTQ+ students’ rights and provide legal support for those facing harassment or discrimination.

Lead poisoning has lifelong consequences for a child’s education. Thanks to our state representatives for passing House Bill 916 to protect generations of PA kids from lead poisoning.

ELC-PA urges advocates, lawmakers, judges, professionals, and families to read a new report released today from the National Working Group on Foster Care and Education and American Bar Association’s Legal Center for Foster Care and Education.

📢 Fellowship applicants wanted! We’re offering postgraduate fellowships in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh starting Fall 2027—seeking candidates committed to racial justice, civil rights, and public interest law. 🗓 Apply by July 6, 2026 🔗 www.elc-pa.org/about/workin...

ELC-PA Senior Attorney Paige Joki will be featured in a webinar from @uclawsf.bsky.social Center for Racial and Economic Justice: “AdDRESS for Success: Adopting Affirming and Legally Compliant Dress Codes.” 📅 June 11 🕓 4–5:30 p.m. ET 🔗 Register: uchastings.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_...

New report: The Impact of Pennsylvania’s Adequacy Supplement shows its first year helped districts hire staff, cut class sizes, expand career and technical education, strengthen early literacy, and improve student well-being. Read the full report: paschoolswork.org/adequacy-rep...

Our June newsletter is out: Fair Funding Advocacy Day, Extended School Year Information, We’re Hiring, and More Read it here: conta.cc/4nXbP9F

Without the rideshare tax, Philadelphia students will lose the support of hundreds of school-based positions, including teachers and counselors. Join ELC-PA and partners at City Hall (North Apron) on Tuesday, June 2 at 4:30 p.m. to advocate for the funding needed to reverse these classroom cuts.