February 21, 2014 – Based on the Education Law Center’s legal complaint, the U.S. Department of Justice has opened an investigation into discriminatory placement of students in Pennsylvania’s Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth programs.
Students with Disabilities
ELC Webinar January 22, 2014
Join Education Law Center attorney Maura McInerney as she presents a webinar for families of students with disabilities who are home schooled, educated in cyber charter schools, charter schools, private schools or parochial schools.
ELC Named Racial Justice Award Winner
November 13 , 2013 – On Wednesday, November 13th, the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh honored the Education Law Center as its 2013 awardee for its Legal Racial Justice Award.
Coatesville parents, residents tell NAACP of district bias
October 17, 2013 – by Michaelle Bond, Inquirer Staff Writer –
Parents and residents of the Coatesville Area School District testified at an NAACP public hearing Tuesday that the district had shown a pattern of discrimination against certain types of students over the years.
Read the full story:
http://articles.philly.com/2013-10-17/news/43110099_1_state-naacp-minority-students-safiya-edwards
Trying to live up to special-ed law amid the Philly school budget crisis
October 16, 2013 – by Kevin McCorry –
The Philadelphia School District has at least 20,000 evaluated special-needs students. Each year, the district pays millions in legal fees and lawsuit settlements based on its failure, both proven and alleged, to meet their needs. This year, due to budget cuts, the district shed close to 3,000 staff members.
Read the full story:
https://whyy.org/articles/trying-to-live-up-to-special-ed-law-amid-the-philly-school-budget-crisis/
Pa. Group Alleges Discrimination in Alternative-School Placements
August 7, 2013 – by Christina Samuels –
The Pennsylvania-based Education Law Center filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice today, saying that young people with disabilities and black students are being placed in alternative schools far out of proportion to their representation in the school population.
Read the full story:
http://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/speced/2013/08/pa_advocacy_group_alleges_disc.html?cmp=SOC-SHR-FB
Law Center to Feds: Investigate Discrimination in PA’s Alternative Ed Programs
August 7, 2013 – The Education Law Center today filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice seeking an investigation into discriminatory placement of students in Pennsylvania’s Alternative Education for Disruptive Youth programs. Continue reading
PA Enacts Historic Special Education Funding Reforms
June 14, 2013 – Governor Corbett signed into law today historic legislation to fix Pennsylvania’s broken special education funding and accountability system.
Act 3 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.
Advocates from 40 different organizations throughout Pennsylvania support this legislation, which was nearly adopted in 2012.
“This is historic,” said Rhonda Brownstein, Executive Director of the Education Law Center, one of the lead advocacy groups supporting this legislation. “The commission will outline a much-needed approach for funding special education in Pennsylvania — one that takes into account accurate data and real student needs.”
Rep. Bernie O’Neill and Sen. Pat Browne were lead bill sponsors and will be a part of the commission.
“We want to thank our legislative champions — Representative O’Neill and Senator Browne — for their work on the legislation, and, of course, we want to thank all of our advocates throughout the state for their commitment and dedication to seeing this bill passed,” said Pam Klipa, Special Education & Training Coordinator for The Arc of Pennsylvania.
The Commission established by the legislation will begin work next month and make its recommendations in September. The funding formula established by the Commission would be applied to any new dollars added to the state’s special education line item.
Districts could utilize any new state special education funding to improve programs and supports and other best practices that benefit students with disabilities, such as meeting state and federal performance indicators and providing curricula adaptation, co-teaching, assistive technology, and school-wide positive behavior supports.
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The Education Law Center is a non-profit, statewide legal advocacy organization dedicated to ensuring that all of Pennsylvania’s children have access to a quality public education.
CONTACT:
Brett Schaefer
Education Law Center
Office: 215-238-6970 ext. 334
Mobile: 215-519-6522
[email protected]