Pennsylvania School Boards Prioritizing Partisan Agendas Over Students, New Research Shows
For Immediate Release: October 23, 2025
For More Information: Lindsay Wagner, 215-701-4264, [email protected]
New research from School Board Spotlight, a project of the Pipeline Education Fund, reveals that numerous school boards across Pennsylvania are pursuing partisan policies that harm students and undermine parents’ ability to keep politics out of the classroom. The Education Law Center-PA (ELC-PA) is calling attention to these findings and the urgent need for accountability in Pennsylvania’s public schools.
The analysis, based on school board agendas, meeting minutes, and policy changes since 2023, found that 1 in 5 school boards reviewed have passed censorship measures, restricted books and library materials, and targeted LGBTQ+ students with discriminatory practices. The study reviewed 193 school boards statewide and highlights troubling trends in several counties that each have more than two school districts with harmful policies, including Adams, Beaver, Bucks, Lancaster, and York.
Since launching our Inclusive Schools and Honest Education initiative in 2022, ELC-PA has been tracking the disturbing increase in these policies. Parents and community members across the state have contacted ELC-PA to express serious concern about the harm these policies cause; during the last school year, people from 37 school districts have contacted us or our coalition Pennsylvanians for Welcoming and Inclusive Schools (PA-WINS) to raise questions or request assistance. ELC-PA provides legal analysis of proposed policies, advice about advocating to school boards, and complaint options for impacted students. Often, parents report that these harmful policies are being pushed by a few extremist members of their school board who don’t represent their community’s values for inclusive and welcoming schools that support all children.
“Students deserve inclusive schools where they can learn without being subjected to partisan politics or discriminatory practices,” said Kristina Moon, ELC-PA senior attorney. “These policies not only limit educational opportunities but also put vulnerable students, including LGBTQ+ youth, at serious risk. And school leaders need to be aware that both federal and state courts have found schools liable for discriminating against students on the basis of gender identity.”
ELC-PA will continue to advocate for students’ rights and ensure that districts are held accountable for policies that put children at risk.
School Board Spotlight has made the Pennsylvania findings publicly available in a searchable database, allowing parents, educators, and community members to view policies in their districts: https://schoolboardspotlight.org/pennsylvania/
People seeking advice about policies in their school districts can call Education Law Center-PA’s Helpline at 267-436-6095 (Eastern and Central PA), or 412-258-2120 (Western PA).
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The Education Law Center-PA (ELC-PA) is a nonprofit, legal advocacy organization with offices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, dedicated to ensuring that all children in Pennsylvania have access to a quality public education. Through legal representation, impact litigation, community engagement, and policy advocacy, ELC advances the rights of underserved children, including children living in poverty, children of color, children in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, children with disabilities, English learners, LGBTQ students, and children experiencing homelessness. For more information, visit elc-pa.org or @edlawcenterpa on Twitter.