The School District of Philadelphia is facing a major budget crisis, but what does that really mean for students and schools? We're collaborating with @childrenfirstpa, @pftlocal3, @publicinterestlawcenter, and the People’s Budget Office to explain it all. RSVP: bit.ly/PBORSVP

The School District of Philadelphia is facing a major budget crisis, but what does that really mean for students and schools? We're collaborating with @childrenfirstpa, @pftlocal3, @publicinterestlawcenter, and the People’s Budget Office to explain it all. RSVP: bit.ly/PBORSVP

“Time and time and time again, we’ve learned that inclusion works, but it takes thoughtfulness, it takes resources, it takes support for these kids to be successful,” said Margie Wakelin, senior attorney at ELC-PA. www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

ELC-PA Senior Attorney Paige Joki will be featured in a webinar hosted by the Center for Racial and Economic Justice: “AdDRESS for Success: Adopting Affirming and Legally Compliant Dress Codes.”

Last week, ELC-PA Senior Attorneys Hetal Dhagat and John Valantassis presented at the 13th Annual Disability & Mental Health Summit in Pittsburgh, sharing resources and connecting with advocates, professionals, and community members to advance support for students and families across PA.

Earlier this week, the @chopdbpfellows presented a poster developed in collaboration with @edlawcenterpa to raise awareness about preschool pushout. A big thank you to the fellows for their thoughtful work and commitment to this important issue.

Since 1975 Education Law Center-PA has worked to ensure quality public education for our state's most underserved children. Ready to make a difference for children across Pennsylvania? Join our team at ELC. Open roles: Intake Coordinator, Paralegal, Attorney

What rights do students really have when they speak out? Education Law Center-PA Legal Director Maura McInerney explains, “It cannot be based on fear, mere speculation, or a concern that it’s a controversial topic. That really goes to the heart of the First Amendment right.”

Children as young as 2, 3, and 4 years old are being pushed out of Pennsylvania preschools at alarming rates.   This causes grave, long-lasting harm to future learning, academic success, and overall well-being.

Children as young as 2, 3, and 4 years old are being pushed out of Pennsylvania preschools at alarming rates.   This causes grave, long-lasting harm to future learning, academic success, and overall well-being.

Rain or shine, we made our voices heard in Harrisburg advocating for adequate and equitable school funding for all students across Pennsylvania.

DELCO GIVES IS HERE! Donate www.delcogives.org/organization/Education-Law-Center-Pa. #DelcoGives @delcofdn

We’re so excited to be a part of Delco Gives! You can support our campaign by visiting www.delcogives.org/organization/Education-Law-Center-Pa and donating today. #DelCoGives @delcofdn

May is National Foster Care Month. For decades, ELC-PA has championed the rights of students in foster care—helping secure school stability, remove enrollment barriers, and pass key protections like PA’s Act 1.

We’re excited to be part of the 13th Annual Disability & Mental Health Summit on May 7! Stop by the Education Law Center–PA table to pick up resources, learn about students’ education rights, and connect with our team. We look forward to seeing you at CCAC’s Allegheny Campus on the North Side!

Our May newsletter is out: State Budget Advocacy, Preschool Pushout, Addressing Transportation Gaps, and More Read it here: conta.cc/3QZ3dD7 Subscribe to our newsletter here: www.elc-pa.org/subscribe/

“We have repeatedly heard from allies and community members about the fear and uncertainty that grip everyday interactions,” said Maura McInerney, legal director at ELC-PA.

Act 47 imposes new legal obligations on school districts, cyber charter schools, families, & courts regarding cyber school enrollment, residency notifications, attendance, & truancy. On 4/30 at 12 p.m, join ELC-PA attorneys for a webinar explaining these new requirements. Register: bit.ly/4crzSs6

Mark your calendar today! We invite you to join us on Sept. 30, 2026, for the Education Law Center’s 51st anniversary celebration at Vie by Cescaphe in Philadelphia. Sponsorships are available now. We hope you will celebrate with us this fall! Learn more here: www.elc-pa.org/about/event/

Happening today!

Two weeks until Delco Gives! Please consider supporting the Education Law Center-PA on May 6-7 during this special celebration of community spirit and generosity. Your donation, no matter the size, will help advance a brighter future for Delaware County public school students and beyond. #DelcoGives

We urge the Senate to oppose SB1293 and its discrimination against transgender kids.

📣 ADVOCACY DAY PEP RALLY! 📣 Let’s get ready to make our voices heard! Join us for our Advocacy Day Pep Rally, presented in English and Español, to gear up for Advocacy Day in Harrisburg on Wednesday, May 6th. 🗓 April 28, 2026 ⏰ 6:00 PM 📍 Virtual (Zoom) 🔗 Register via Zoom: bit.ly/3NMEdCw

On April 30th at 12 p.m, ELC-PA attorneys will host a webinar explaining new Act 47 requirements, what they mean for schools, families, judges, and children and youth agencies, and how to navigate these changes in the best interest of children. Register now at bit.ly/4crzSs6

Kristina Moon, senior attorney with Education Law Center-Pennsylvania, stressed that federal laws and legal rulings, not OCR agreements, ultimately spell out what districts’ obligations are to LGBTQ students. Read the full article here: buff.ly/eDQwLJE

Act 47 imposes new legal obligations on school districts, cyber charter schools, families, and courts regarding cyber school enrollment, residency notifications, attendance, and truancy.

Will you be at the 2026 Litigation Section Annual Conference, April 22–24, in Boston? We're excited to share that ELC-PA Senior Attorney Paige Joki will be presenting during the 10:00-11:30 session on 4/24: Behind Closed Doors: Exposing the Due Process Crisis in School Discipline Hearings.

“Dress and grooming rules can be misused to police students’ bodies and to adultify them and to objectify them, and that is alarming,” she said, “and we know from research that that leads to conditions where students don’t feel safe or welcome in the school building where they are there to learn.”

“Preschool pushout is not about children failing to meet expectations – it’s about systems failing to meet children’s needs and violating their rights,” said attorney Rose Wehrman, an @Equal Justice Works Fellow at ELC-PA, who represented clients featured in the report.

Yesterday, we released a report on preschool pushout in PA. @inquirer.com is amplifying what many families already know: young children are still being pushed out when systems fail to support them. Read more: bit.ly/PreKPushout

A new report from @edlawcenterpa and parent advocates reveals that preschool pushout is harming PA's youngest learners, particularly Black and Brown children and children with disabilities. Kids as young as 2 and 3 are being excluded from early learning settings.

Join Senior Attorneys from ELC-PA for an informative webinar about students' rights to be free from racial hair discrimination and religious discrimination in schools and the legal protections now in place under Pennsylvania’s newly enacted CROWN Act. 📅 Tuesday, April 14, 2026 ⏰ 12:00 PM ET

Join Senior Attorneys from ELC-PA for an informative webinar about students' rights to be free from racial hair discrimination and religious discrimination in schools and the legal protections now in place under Pennsylvania’s newly enacted CROWN Act. 📅 Tuesday, April 14, 2026 ⏰ 12:00 PM ET

Today, April 9th at 4pm! The School District of Philadelphia is beginning the review process for the 2026-27 Code of Conduct. The District is seeking feedback from the community. Register for todays session at bit.ly/COC-49 Complete the survey at bit.ly/COCSurvey26

“All of the metrics that we're looking to increase will only be possible through continued and bold investment in adequacy dollars, because they are specifically targeted to students and districts that need them the most,” Ms. Linardopoulos said." www.post-gazette.com/news/educati...

The Education Law Center-PA, alongside our Thriving PA partners at PennAEYC, is proud to release our latest report on the essential intersection of Early Intervention and Behavioral Health for infants and toddlers.

Join attorneys from Education Law Center-PA for a virtual Know-Your-Rights workshop on school board advocacy, students' rights, and legal obligations in implementing Codes of Conduct. Register soon via this Microsoft Form: bit.ly/3NnHJhT. Presented by Education Law Center-PA and Dr. Tasliym Morales.

Join attorneys from Education Law Center-PA for a virtual Know-Your-Rights workshop on school board advocacy, students' rights, and legal obligations in implementing Codes of Conduct. Register soon via this Microsoft Form: bit.ly/3NnHJhT. Presented by Education Law Center-PA and Dr. Tasliym Morales.

Adequacy funding isn’t a “bonus.” It’s what students should have had all along after decades of unconstitutional underfunding of PA public schools. Lawmakers must finish the job. www.wesa.fm/education/20...

Join ELC-PA and a coalition of advocates for an in-depth breakdown of Governor Shapiro’s 2026/27 education budget proposal. We’re diving deep into the numbers to show you exactly how this funding impacts your local school district. 👉 bit.ly/47mPPhm

Kristina Moon, a lawyer @edlawcenterpa.bsky.social, has started encouraging families to take discrimination complaints to the [PA Human Rights] commission instead of the fed. govt. “It's incredibly important for students and families to be aware of any other option available to them," said Moon.

ICYMI: Our March newsletter is out: Take Action on State Budget, How to Safeguard Immigrant Students’ Rights, and more! Read it here: conta.cc/4seu5MF Subscribe to our newsletter here: www.elc-pa.org/subscribe/

In 2005, Philadelphia was the first major U.S. city to mandate African American History for high school graduation, making Black history a core part of education rather than an elective. Schools have a duty to teach accurate history and foster inclusive environments. #blackhistorymonth

📣 Next Up in Our Know Your Rights Series: IEPs and IEP Meetings Swipe through to learn about your rights, how to prepare for meetings, and what to do if you disagree with a school's decision. For additional information, read our full fact sheets: bit.ly/44eV41k bit.ly/4a2CoUB

Black history is Philly history. In 1967, thousands of students walked out for better schools and were met with police violence. Today, we honor them by defending the right to learn and organize. Learn about the 1967 walkout legacy: bit.ly/3XvJpQz #BlackHistoryMonth

All students in PA have a legal right to attend school, yet many families are afraid due to increased immigration enforcement. Join Education Law Center-PA & @aclupa tomorrow for a webinar on protecting immigrant students’ rights. 🗓️ Friday, Feb 20 🕛 12-1 PM ET 💻 Register: bit.ly/3Mv0GPg

The piece titled “How To Assist Students During Ramadan 2026” from We Are Teachers outlines the basics of Ramadan, dispels prevalent myths, and offers practical advice for aiding students. You can find more information at: www.weareteachers.com/support-stud...

Next Friday at noon, join Education Law Center-PA and ACLU of Pennsylvania for an online webinar discussing "Practical Steps to Protect Immigrant Students’ Rights in Pennsylvania Schools." Register at: bit.ly/3Mv0GPg

The CROWN Act is now law in Pennsylvania! 👑 Public school students across the Commonwealth have the right to be free from racial hair discrimination, including bans on protective hairstyles like locs, braids, twists, afros, and Bantu knots.

Governor Shapiro’s proposed $565 million investment toward closing the school funding adequacy gap is a critical step.