Follow us on FacebookCLE filed an amicus brief in Boston Parent Coalition v. School Committee of the City of Boston (1:21-cv-10330-WGY) in support of Defendants and Defendants-Intervenors. The focus of the amicus brief was on the need to ensure that the way the Court articulates the basis for its judgment does not leave room for interpretations of law that would incorrectly and unnecessarily limit the ability of our clients and others to successfully seek redress for violations of their civil rights and pursue full equal educational opportunity free of discrimination. That danger is often present in...
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The Center for Law and Education is pleased to announce that it has been awarded highly competitive funding from the Cummings Foundation to prepare lay advocates to represent economically disadvantaged Boston public school students at disciplinary exclusion hearings.
Studies have shown that increased drop-out rates, lower graduation rates, and inadequate preparation for college and career readiness are associated with high rates of disciplinary exclusion and missed school days. In addition, African American/Black and Latino/Hispanic Students experience more frequent...
Today as we honor the legacy and contemplate the words and actions of Dr. Martin Luther King, we are reminded of the distance we need to travel. See 'Outgoing Trump Administration Moves To Eliminate Core Civil Rights Provision' -i.e...
CLE with META and Lawyers Committee ask SEA and LEAs to take immediate steps to inform families of EL students in their home languages that they have a right to protect the health and safety of their families and will not be punished ifor not sending their children to school to take the 'in-person' ACCESS test at this time during COVID-19.
Click here to read the letter sent MA LEAs.
On Friday, September 25th, the U.S. Department of Education announced that it would not appeal the federal district court’s order in NAACP, et al. v. DeVos, et al., overturning the Department’s regulation for allocating CARES Act COVID-19 relief funds to provide equitable services to students and teachers in private schools. The regulation required school districts to allocate funds for this purpose based on the proportion of all students residing in the district that are in private schools, even though...
Dear Colleagues,
Like many, I mourn the murder of George Floyd. But I am also frustrated by the current pattern of repeating the conversations we have had for years about police abuse of their powers with impunity. It is time for action: we know the problems and we know the solutions, at least enough to get us started and have an immediate impact. The issue is whether we have the WILL to take the necessary actions to solve the problems.
...The U.S. Department of Education has issued guidance on how local educational agencies (LEAs, typically school districts) are supposed to use CARES Act COVID-19 relief funds to provide equitable services to students and teachers in private schools. The guidance instructs LEAs to allocate funds for this purpose based on the proportion of all students residing in the district that are in private schools, even though the CARES Act itself clearly provides that the amount of funds should be based only on the proportion of low-income students in the district...
On March 28, 2020, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136). The CARES Act contains several significant funding provisions for education, primarily embodied in the “Education Stabilization Fund” (Sections 18001-18008 of the Act). CLE has provided analysis of the elementary and secondary education funding in the CARES Act. Of particular note, CLE discusses State and local requirements (from the General Education Provisions Act) for participatory planning and operation, equity, sharing of effective practices, and monitoring. This...
CLE is closely monitoring federal guidance and submitted comments on pending legislation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic's effects on students generally, and in particular on low-income students, racial and ethnic minorities, English learners, and students with disabilities. CLE's comments address issues with the open-ended provisions of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (as originally drafted) that provide the Secretary of Education with nearly unlimited unilateral authority to waive almost any of the provisions of three major laws – the Elementary and...
On December 10, 2018, CLE submitted comments to the Department of Homeland Security concerning DHS Docket No. USCIS 2010-0012; RIN 1615-AA22 Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds ("Public Charge Rule"). CLE opposed the Public Charge Rule because it would jeopardize the ability of students in immigrant families, both legal and those without documents, to succeed in school. In particular, CLE raised concerns that if the proposed regulation was finalized, (1) more students would arrive to school hungry and schools will have difficulty maintaining their school-wide lunch programs; (2) fewer...