PA Issues New Guidelines to Improve Early Education Access for Homeless Children
New policy guidance issued last week by the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning improves access to early learning opportunities for homeless children under the age of six.
PA Enacts Historic Special Education Funding Reforms
Governor Corbett signed into law historic legislation to fix Pennsylvania's broken special education funding and accountability system.
House Bill 2 establishes a legislative commission to develop — for the first time in the Commonwealth — a funding formula for special education that uses accurate student counts and addresses actual student needs.
Law Center Report: PA One of Only Three States without Education Funding Formula
Pennsylvania is a national outlier when it comes to following basic budgeting principles — accuracy, fairness, and transparency — that most states use when it comes to public school funding.
PA's Lack of Education Funding System Failing Constitutional Requirement
Pennsylvania's lack of an education funding system is failing the state's constitutional requirement for "maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education," according to members of advocacy groups throughout the state. Read more...
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The Education Law Center is a non-profit legal advocacy and educational organization dedicated to ensuring that all of Pennsylvania's children have access to a quality public education.
ELC’s work falls into three major areas:
- Making sure that all children have access to school and school programs
We work to eliminate practices that make it difficult or impossible for a child to enroll in school, or that deny children access to school programs on the basis of disability, English language learner status, homelessness, or other factors.
- Providing families (and those who work with them) reliable, understandable information about education laws and policies
Through publications, training materials, and training events, we try to de-mystify the rules and help people understand how to deal with common problems.
- Improving schools
We work with local and statewide groups on getting more funding for our neediest schools; making sure that teachers are prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners; promoting programs of positive behavior support in schools; and more.
ELC’s offices are located in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Learn more about our current work by viewing the News and Action Items page and stay informed on important education issues by joining our email list.
ELC's Recent Cases
The Education Law Center's recent filings can be found on the Our Cases page. A brief summary and a copy of each filing are available. For more information about a particular case, contact the attorney listed in the filing.
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Publications and More Help
- Fairness in School Discipline in Pennsylvania: A Guide for Attorneys and Advocates Who Represent Students
- Getting Information About Your School: A Guide to Pennsylvania Laws on Open Meetings and Public Records
- Basics of Special Education Law Brochure for parents
- Right to Special Education Manual (2009A)
- El Derecho a Educacion Especial en Pensilvania, a Spanish-language version of ELC’s 2009 guide, The Right to Special Education in Pennsylvania, is now available (translation courtesy of the Disability Rights Network).
- Training Request Form.
- Browse and download ELC publications and training materials.
- Have a question about ELC services? Check our Frequently Asked Questions page for help.
- Find other agencies that can help you.