Education Law Center-PA

We're #hiring a new Policy Director in Greater Philadelphia. Apply today or share this post with your network.

As we celebrate Juneteenth, let's celebrate & recommit to the teaching of truthful history in our schools. The battle to do so must continue, in the face of organized opposition to teaching about the history and reality of systemic racism. Starting with the history of Juneteenth itself. It wasn't "news" about emancipation that traveled slowly; it was the power & the will to enforce it. "Even following the arrival of the power to enforce the emancipation order in the form of the United States Army, enslaved people were left with much of the responsibility to seize their own freedom." Learn more at https://lnkd.in/eYWdz-nB....

There are many heroes in the fight to win fair school funding for PA students. We are grateful to have the brilliant, tenacious Deborah Gordon Klehr leading our team. Learn about her & our work in this Philadelphia Citizen profile by @malcolmburnley. And keep fighting for equitable and adequate funding for PA public schools. Our elected officials need to #FinishTheJob! Keep fighting to #FundPAPublicSchools.

We are thrilled to have Rose Wehrman, Columbia Law School alum and stellar former ELC intern, join us as an Equal Justice Works fellow to expand our work to counter the burgeoning issue of preschool pushout. Our gratitude to Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Equal Justice Works for supporting this important work!

Today, May 17, 2024, marks the 70th anniversary of Brown v. Board, the case that transformed the landscape of American education and declared the "separate-but-equal" doctrine unconstitutional. Yet we still have not ensured equitable access to resources for all students. It is well-documented that Pennsylvania schools are still among the most deeply segregated and inequitably funded. The important legacy of the Brown decision urges us to continue our fight for racial justice, equitable funding, and affirming and supportive schools.

Mark your calendar: #DelcoGivesDay is May 8th! If you live and work in #Delco, you can be part of the celebration by giving to your favorite nonprofits (hopefully we're on your list). Visit http://delcogives.org to find out more.

What does the decision declaring our school funding system unconstitutional mean for the future of education? Join us next Tuesday, April 9, at University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School for "From Courtroom to Classroom: Charting the Future of Education Equity in the Wake of the Pennsylvania Fair Funding Case." Our senior attorney Dan Urevick-Ackelsberg will be joined for in-depth panel discussion by Deborah Gordon Klehr, executive director of our co-counsel Education Law Center-PA, and Tony Watlington, superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia. Register here--this event is free and open to the public: https://lnkd.in/e-e6xqri

Tomorrow marks the 1-year anniversary of the OYO! Join us for our lunch and learn webinar where you will get to hear from this incredible panel and learn more about youth in residential placement facilities. Register using the link in the comment section.

Wonderful news! Education Law Center-PA is one of the groups just selected from 6,353 applicants to be awarded a $1 million unrestricted grant from the #YieldGivingOpenCall, established by philanthropist MacKenzie Scott. https://lnkd.in/gXbxiGQ4 This is an affirmation of the significant victories & meaningful systemic reforms ELC has won for thousands of historically underserved public school students in PA, including the decision in our recent fair funding litigation, declaring “education is a fundamental right.” As we prepare to celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2025, we’ll make sure this gift has long-lasting impact, sustaining and strengthening our work in the years ahead to ensure all children in Pennsylvania have access to quality public education. Thanks to all our partners and supporters: You make our successes possible! Huge thanks to Yield Giving for this impactful gift & recognition!

We're #hiring a new Policy Director in Greater Philadelphia. Apply today or share this post with your network.