The PA Commonwealth Court on May 7 overruled objections filed by state legislative leaders and moved our school funding lawsuit closer to trial. Here's the coverage of the latest round in our challenge to the state's broken education funding system in the Inquirer, the Notebook, and WHYY.The Court spelled out the next steps in the case, directing the parties to address two issues before it goes to trial: whether the state's adoption of a funding formula renders the case moot and whether education is an important or fundamental right under Pennsylvania law. The latter issue will dictate what level of scrutiny the court will apply to evaluate whether gross disparities between low- and high-wealth school districts violate equal protection provisions of our state constitution. Legislative leaders are in the unenviable position of arguing that Pennsylvania's school funding problems have been solved and that education is not an important right in Pennsylvania. Briefs on the mootness issue are due in early July, where we will highlight that only 2% of all state education spending runs through the funding formula. Stay tuned!

June is the month that the state must adopt a spending plan for the coming fiscal year. There is still uncertainty about whether Gov. Wolf's proposal for modest increases in state funding for basic education ($100 million) and special education ($20 million) can win approval in the legislature. ELC supports those increases as a step in the right direction and encourages you to call your Pennsylvania senator and representative and urge them to vote for no less than those amounts. ELC will be joining other advocates at a press conference in Harrisburg on June 6 to push for legislative action to address the enormous funding shortfalls facing school districts all across the state.

On May 16, Policy Attorney Reynelle Brown Staley testified before Philadelphia City Council to  urge support for the Mayor's proposed budget increase for Philadelphia public schools. She  also urged support for additional investments in programs and services to support a safe and healthy school environment, such as counselors and improved facilities.

ELC has been working with a coalition of advocates to address the plight of the roughly over 900 Philadelphia children and youth in the foster care and delinquency systems who are in institutional placements, often far from home. ELC testified at a well-attended Philadelphia City Council hearing.  Our testimony highlighted the substandard, often below-grade level, and sometimes nonexistent educational services in these residential placements, the disruption caused by such placements, and the challenges students face upon returning to their neighborhood schools -- including obtaining credit for coursework completed at on-grounds schools. Powerful testimony by youth and advocates pointed to the need to build community-based, trauma-informed alternatives.  We anticipate a multi-year collaborative initiative to reduce the number of Philadelphia youth in residential placements. Follow the ongoing work on Twitter at the hashtag #SafelyHomePhilly

Legal Director Maura McInerney testifying at City Council.

ELC is pleased to welcome summer legal interns Haley Pritchard and Hetali Lodaya, and communications intern, Maddie Ireland.  Haley is a law student at the University of Pennsylvania and brings experience working in advocacy for the rights of girls and young women in Northeast Florida, with a focus on young women in the juvenile justice system.  Hetali is a law student at the University of Michigan and worked at a STEM and entrepreneurship education nonprofit before starting law school. Maddie is an undergraduate student at NYU and is majoring in Global Liberal Studies with a concentration in Law, Ethics, and Religion. Welcome! Later this month, we will welcome additional interns in our Pittsburgh and Philadelphia offices.