Defending Public Education and Student Rights: ELC’s Work to Protect Students, Families, and Public Schools
All students deserve access to a high-quality learning environment where they feel safe and supported. Education Law Center is committed to ensuring that schools are safe spaces for students where their rights are protected, and public education remains a cornerstone of our democracy.
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Federal Advocacy: Responding to a Changing Landscape
ELC has responded to shifts in federal policy over the last several months and has worked to analyze federal proposals, educate the public, provide essential resources, and offer technical assistance to advocates across the country. Here are just a few examples of our work to protect students and public schools nationwide:
- Protecting Education Funding: ELC urged the Office of Management and Budget to withdraw a sweeping proposal that could have serious consequences for federal education funding and student programs and services;
- Opposing Anti-DEI Mandates: ELC opposed the Trump administration’s proposed rules that would impose restrictions regarding diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) on organizations receiving federal funding
- Examining What’s at Stake for Students: ELC and partners released policy briefs, FAQs, and talking points on the impact of federal policy changes for English learners and students with disabilities. Additional resources in this series will be available soon.
Federal Vouchers: Keeping Public Funds in Public Schools
Through our Public Funds Public Schools project, we continue to challenge the expansion of private school vouchers; educate about the new federal voucher program; and equip advocates, policymakers, and communities with the resources they need to protect public education.
Check out our new Federal Vouchers Resource Hub, featuring:
- What Almost Everybody Gets Wrong About the Federal Voucher Scheme, a webinar addressing common questions and misconceptions about the federal voucher program;
- No Accountability, No Transparency, a webinar examining concerns about Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) that will operate under the new federal voucher program;
- Debunking the Trump Administration’s Claims About the Federal Voucher Program, a fact sheet exposing misleading claims about the federal voucher program and its potential impact;
- How California Can Respond to the Threat of Private School Vouchers, a California-specific resource outlining the risks of private school vouchers and strategies for protecting public education in that state.
Watch & Share!
You’ll also find a series of short, shareable social media clips highlighting the risks of federal vouchers. Be sure to share widely on your own platforms!
And ICYMI:
- ELC Executive Director Bob Kim wrote an op-ed explaining why states should reject federal vouchers; and
- ELC Litigation/PFPS Director, Jessica Levin discussed the harms of voucher programs during a Facebook Live interview with Pat Kreitlow on Another Beautiful Morning from Civic Media, and gave keynote remarks at the Wisconsin Public Education Network’s Summer Summit about the rapid expansion of private school vouchers and how advocates can protect public schools.
Litigation: Defending Public Schools and Students in the Courts
ELC continues to defend public education and student rights through litigation and legal advocacy, including filing an amicus brief through our PFPS project in a U.S. Supreme Court case involving a Colorado law protecting preschoolers and their families from discrimination, working with co-counsel on school desegregation lawsuits, and representing parents and taxpayers who are helping to defend the rejection of religious public charter schools in Oklahoma and Tennessee. Through these efforts, we continue to ensure public schools remain equitable, inclusive, and open to all students.
Getting the Word Out: Expanding Our Reach & Impact
From school funding and private education vouchers to changes at the U.S. Department of Education and the broader fight for education equity, ELC is dedicated to breaking down complex legal and policy issues into clear, accessible, and actionable content for a wider audience.
Check out our new TikTok for short-term content on the latest federal happenings. We’re covering a range of topics including vouchers, special education, and more.
And we want to hear from you! Drop a comment on our posts to let us know what issues you’d like us to talk about next.
Follow us on all platforms using the buttons below to stay up to date on the latest ELC news, analysis, events, and resources.
Other Comms News:
We partnered with well-known education influencer Mrs. Frazzled on a Substack exploring the forces working to undermine public education and what’s at stake for students and public schools.
We hosted our 17th annual Education Justice Lecture, which featured authors and educators Jennifer Berkshire and Jack Schneider, hosts of the Have You Heard podcast, in conversation with ELC Executive Director Bob Kim about today’s public education landscape.
ELC staff continue to inform public conversations about education at both the national and state levels, including recent coverage in New Jersey Urban News and The Progressive. ELC Executive Director Bob Kim also spoke with Chalkbeat about the U.S. Department of Education’s decision to limit the use of racial disparity data in federal civil rights investigations.
We Can’t Do This Work Without You!
Protecting the rights of public-school students is a full-time job.
Every day, ELC provides free resources, advocacy, and legal support to students, families, advocates, and policymakers in states and communities across the country. Help us continue to defend public education today.
Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
973-624-1815, x240