Our Mission
Education Law Center pursues justice and equity for public school students by enforcing their right to a high-quality education in safe, equitable, non-discriminatory, integrated, and well-funded learning environments. We seek to support and improve public schools as the center of communities and the foundation of a multicultural and multiracial democratic society. We strive to secure and protect the rights of students who are underserved, experience inadequate learning opportunities, or face discrimination based on race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, language, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, immigrant or migrant status, or disability. To achieve these goals, we engage in litigation, research and data analysis, policy advocacy, communications, and strategic partnerships and collaborations.
For more than 50 years, Education Law Center has worked to ensure all children have the opportunity to attend safe, inclusive, and well-resourced public schools that help them reach their full potential—and to make certain that public education remains the foundation of a strong and thriving democracy. We use six core strategies to execute our mission: community engagement, research, litigation, policy advocacy, communications, and strategic partnerships. These strategies work together in a connected and continuous cycle: community engagement and research inform our advocacy and legal work, and communications and strategic partnerships build public understanding and the collective power needed to sustain lasting change.
Learn more:
- Read our 2026-29 Strategic Plan for our vision, key principles, theory of change, core strategies, and areas of work in New Jersey, in states around the nation, and at the federal level, on issues including school funding, student rights, and private education vouchers.
- Explore Making the Grade, our annual report on school funding in the 50 states, along with our reports on Resource Equity in the States, our Research on federal education policy, and Interactive Tools on school funding.
- Learn about our Public Funds Public Schools campaign, which opposes the diversion of public money to private education uses and has achieved important victories through litigation, policy advocacy, and research.
- Visit our News page for updates on our work across states and areas of focus.
- Join Our Network to receive ELC communications directly to your inbox.
- Follow us on social media: @EdLawCenter on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, Facebook and BlueSky.
Read a brief history of ELC here.
support our work
As a nonprofit organization, ELC relies on the generous contributions of individuals, corporations and foundations to support our work.
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