News
New and Noteworthy

Equity Leader David Sciarra named to National Education Commission
David Sciarra, Executive Director of Education Law Center (ELC), was selected to serve on the national Education Equity and Excellence Commission, newly established by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), as instructed by Congress. The Commission will hold public meetings and hearings across the nation to gather information to recommend ways school finance can be improved to increase equity and achievement. In May 2012, the Commission will issue a report to Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Congress.
The commissioners are listed here.
Education Justice Recent News
- "Seize the Moment!" Wade Henderson Urges Educational Equity
Wade Henderson, President and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, was recently honored by the Education Law Center with the Education Justice Award for national leadership in educational equity. Before receiving the award at a special reception, Mr. Henderson delivered ELC's annual Education Justice Lecture at Rutgers University's Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy.
- Voucher Program Violates LA Constitution, Supreme Court Declares
On May 7, 2013, the Louisiana Supreme Court declared that state’s voucher program unconstitutional under the state constitution. The plaintiffs, in Louisiana Federation of Teachers, et al. v. State, challenged a senate resolution and Act 2, both passed during the 2012 legislative session.
- Voucher Schools Must Not Discriminate Against Students with Disabilities
In a letter released this week, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) told Wisconsin that the state must ensure that students with disabilities who seek to attend or are currently enrolled in the state's voucher schools must "not encounter discrimination on the basis of their disabilities."
- Online K-12 Schools: Low Performance, High Costs
"Virtual" schools drain millions in public funds, with limited oversight. A national study, released by the National Education Policy Center (NEPC), comprehensively reviews 311 full-time "virtual schools" operating in the U.S. and finds serious and systemic problems with them.
- Resistance to Equity is Deep, Long-standing and Bipartisan
State leaders have steadfastly resisted and rarely embraced equity in educational opportunity for millions of the schoolchildren whose rights they are sworn to uphold. Recent events in Colorado, Connecticut, and New York underscore that, yet again, this resistance is deep and bipartisan.
2013
May 21, 2013 - "Seize the Moment!" Wade Henderson Urges Educational Equity
May 09, 2013 - Voucher Program Violates LA Constitution, Supreme Court Declares
May 03, 2013 - Voucher Schools Must Not Discriminate Against Students with Disabilities
May 02, 2013 - Online K-12 Schools: Low Performance, High Costs
May 01, 2013 - Drastic State Cuts to Pre-K Put Youngest Learners at Risk
Apr 30, 2013 - National Report Card on School Funding Honored As Outstanding Policy Report For 2013
Apr 26, 2013 - Educational Opportunity for All, Capacity Building with Equity
Apr 05, 2013 - Maryland Votes to Build Schools and Jobs
Mar 22, 2013 - Preschool Gives Kids a Big Boost and Must Be a High Priority
Mar 15, 2013 - Pennsylvania Fails Education Requirements of Its Constitution
Feb 19, 2013 - Equity Commission Calls for "Bold Action" on School Funding and Preschool
Feb 18, 2013 - Obama Embraces High Quality Preschool Model for fhe Nation
Feb 05, 2013 - Slam Dunk Victory for Texas School Children
Feb 01, 2013 - As Revenues Rise, Mixed Bag on School Funding from Governors
Jan 23, 2013 - Plaintiffs and Amici Urge California Court to Uphold Right to Education
Jan 21, 2013 - Court Orders Arizona to Obey Voters, AZ School Funding Gets an "F"
Jan 17, 2013 - Plaintiffs Win in Kansas, State Response May Create Crisis
Jan 09, 2013 - A Cautionary Tale, Threats to K-12 Education in Kansas?
2012
Dec 18, 2012 - Latest Race to the Top Grants Go to States at Bottom on School Funding Equity
Nov 14, 2012 - California's Low Level of School Funding Declines
Oct 19, 2012 - Texas: Another State Failing to Provide Fair School Funding
Oct 16, 2012 - ELC Urges NY Commission to Champion the Right to Fair School Funding
Oct 05, 2012 - African American and Latino Students Excluded from Elite High Schools Complaint Says
Sep 27, 2012 - Florida's Inequitable Public School Funding Sparks Legal Challenge
Sep 20, 2012 - The Urgency of Now, 50-State Report on Education and Black Males
Sep 17, 2012 - Illinois School Funding among the Nation's Worst
Sep 07, 2012 - AEI"Parent Power" Report One-Sided, Review Finds
Sep 07, 2012 - Cuts in State Funding are Harming Georgia's Public Schools
Sep 06, 2012 - NC Court Affirms Right To Pre-K
Sep 05, 2012 - Pennsylvania Retreats From Fair School Funding
Sep 04, 2012 - Litigation Update: Kansas, South Carolina, Colorado, and More
Jul 18, 2012 - Michigan is Denying Children the Right to Read!
Jul 09, 2012 - New York School Funding Among Nation's Most Unfair
Jun 27, 2012 - New York Plaintiffs Win, Will Prepare for Trial
Jun 06, 2012 - Court Finds Colorado Shortchanges Students with Disabilities
May 15, 2012 - N.J. Governor Christie Distorts Graduation Rate Numbers
May 10, 2012 - What You Need To Know About ALEC
May 01, 2012 - New York Says, Sorry, Kids, Can't Afford You
Apr 27, 2012 - ELC Sues NJDOE Seeking Emergency Health and Safety Repairs
Apr 25, 2012 - Colorado Underfunds Programs Needed to Teach English
Apr 23, 2012 - Montana Plaintiffs Win, Prior Remedy Upheld
Apr 19, 2012 - Pro-charter Organization Issues Report on Washington, D.C.
Apr 17, 2012 - New York's Children Deserve the Opportunity to Learn
Apr 11, 2012 - Court Finds High Quality Pre-K Needed and Colorado Pre-K Weak
Apr 04, 2012 - "School Reform" Goes to Court After Texas Cuts $5.4 Billion in School Aid
Apr 02, 2012 - ELC Urges New York State to Honor CFE Promise, as Advocates Win Better School Funding
Mar 26, 2012 - CFE Calls for New York State to Renew Its Commitment to Children
Mar 23, 2012 - ELC Presents at Salzburg Global Seminar
Mar 14, 2012 - Federal Report Shows Impact of Funding Inequity and Inexperienced Teachers
Feb 29, 2012 - School Funding System Tested in Court
Jan 07, 2012 - Washington State School Funding System Unconstitutional
Jan 06, 2012 - NCLB Waiver Applications: Omissions and Unanswered Questions
Jan 04, 2012 - Key Findings in Lobato v. State Colorado Ruling
2011
Dec 23, 2011 - Resistance to Equity is Deep, Long-standing and Bipartisan
Dec 13, 2011 - Colorado School Funding Unconstitutional
Nov 10, 2011 - State NCLB Waivers to Cost Billions?
Oct 24, 2011 - Schools and Parents Sue Texas and California
Oct 11, 2011 - Wisconsin leads the nation in cutting school funding
Oct 03, 2011 - 5 Myths About Gov. Chris Christie's Ed Reform in New Jersey
Sep 26, 2011 - Hanushek Shows Up Again? ---"Star" State Witness Against Fair School Funding
Aug 23, 2011 - Federal Commission Told "We Need Equity and Opportunity"
Aug 16, 2011 - Court Orders State to Fund Pre-K
Aug 16, 2011 - Court Stops Religious School Vouchers
Aug 01, 2011 - Trial Begins Today in Colorado

