May 6, 2017 – Philadelphia Inquirer – by Kathy Boccella
Loitering bands of aggressive, cursing students own the halls, constantly fighting or kicking each other. They slam teachers into lockers or walls. They barge in uninvited to disrupt classes. They tell adults who dare confront them to “get the [expletive] out of my face!” Continue reading
May 4, 2017 – Reading Eagle – by David Mekeel
POTTSTOWN, PA
The fact that Pennsylvania has a school-funding problem is no secret. Continue reading
May 3, 2017 – WHYY Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane
Last year, the Philadelphia School District ended most out-of-school suspensions for kindergartners. However, thousands of elementary school children—first through fifth grade—are still being suspended. Schools have zero-tolerance policies for violent behavior, but most suspensions are for nonviolent offenses. Continue reading
May 2, 2017 – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – by Dan Majors
The pen may be mightier than the sword, but a pencil is not a weapon. Continue reading
May 2, 2017 – The Incline – by Sarah Anne Hughes
A pencil is not a weapon inside a Pittsburgh public school. Continue reading
May 2, 2017 – Commonwealth Court issued a decision in S.A. v. Pittsburgh Public Schools yesterday that affirms the decision of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas that a pencil is not a weapon within the definition of the School Code or the Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Code of Student Conduct. Continue reading
May 1, 2017 – Philadelphia Public School Notebook – by Maura McInerney
Last week, nine members of City Council called on the city and School District to take immediate action to dissolve their contracts with Wordsworth Philadelphia in the wake of reports of horrific abuse at the facility that led to the death of one child and the sexual assault of at least 49 others. Continue reading
April 30, 2017 – The Pottstown Mercury – by Evan Brandt
POTTSTOWN — People objecting to Pennsylvania’s status as the state with the widest gap between funding for rich and poor school districts have argued that a zip code all-too-often determines the quality of a student’s education. Continue reading
ELC is proud to to announce the launch of a dynamic new website focused on educational success for youth involved in the juvenile justice system – Blueprint for Change: Education Success for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System. Continue reading
April 27, 2017 – Philadelphia Inquirer– by Kristen Graham
The Philadelphia School District should permanently prohibit out-of-school suspensions of children through fifth grade, a group of child advocates says, contending the district currently uses exclusion from school at “alarming rates” for its littlest learners. Continue reading
April 27, 2017 – Newsworks – by Bill Hangley
When Delaware County’s Chester Upland School District raised taxes last summer for the fourth year in a row, it was just the latest move in a long-running attempt to bring a chronically deficit-ridden district back to financial health. Continue reading
April 25, 2017 – Public News Service PA – by Andrea Sears
HARRISBURG, Pa. – Legislation to reform charter schools in Pennsylvania could come up for a vote any day now, but education advocates say the bill doesn’t fix the problem. House Bill 97 could be the first major reform of the state’s charter-school law since it was enacted 20 years ago. Continue reading
April 19, 2017 – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette – by Molly Born
A proposal in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives to end out-of-school suspensions for most elementary students comes as Pittsburgh Public Schools is exploring a plan of its own for its youngest learners. Continue reading
April 19, 2017 – PennLive – by Jan Murphy
After putting in place a rash of laws over the past two decades to stem the tide of school violence and keep guns out of educational settings, a state lawmaker now wants to reverse course. Continue reading
April 5, 2017 – The Philadelphia Tribune – by Stacy M. Brown
HARRISBURG — Year after year, African-American students and other minorities have faced much harsher discipline in public schools than their peers, based on information provided by the state Department of Education. Continue reading
LANCASTER, PA (March 28, 2017) – A nine-month legal battle over the placement of newly-arrived older immigrant students, mostly refugees, in the School District of Lancaster is ending with a comprehensive settlement.
March 10, 2017 – The Philadelphia Tribune – by Maya Earls Continue reading
March 7 2017 – As the General Assembly debates Pennsylvania’s education budget for next year, the Education Law Center released a report today highlighting how persistent state underfunding of schools has entrenched widespread inequities and inequalities, particularly in schools that serve lower-income families and large numbers of students of color. Continue reading
Feb. 22, 2017
The Education Law Center released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s withdrawal of federal Title IX guidance: Continue reading