EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA

Financials

From the e-filed returns the IRS publishes as XML (latest three processing years; amended returns replace the original). PDF copies at the IRS.

Officers, directors and key employees

As listed on the 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025, highest compensation first.

Address and contacts

Address (IRS master file)

1800 JOHN F KENNEDY BLVD SUITE 190, PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103-7421

In care of

% MANAGEMENT

Principal officer (990 for 2024)

DEBORAH GORDON KLEHR, 1800 John F Kennedy Blvd 1900A, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Signed the 990

DEBORAH GORDON KLEHR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Phone

(215) 238-6970

Website

WWW.ELC-PA.ORG

Return prepared by

WITHUMSMITHBROWN PC

Mission

THE EDUCATION LAW CENTER'S (ELC) MISSION IS TO ENSURE ACCESS TO A QUALITY PUBLIC EDUCATION FOR ALL CHILDREN IN PENNSYLVANIA. OUR PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES INCLUDE DIRECT REPRESENTATION, IMPACT LITIGATION, COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, POLICY ADVOCACY AT LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS, AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS. OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS, ELC HAS BEEN A KNOWN RESOURCE FOR PARENTS, CHILD-SERVING PROFESSIONALS, AND ADVOCATES IN PENNSYLVANIA TO CALL FOR RIGHTS-BASED INFORMATION AND ADVICE REGARDING PUBLIC EDUCATION MATTERS. WE ARE ALSO A LEADER IN PUBLIC EDUCATION ADVOCACY, SECURING POLICY CHANGES ALONGSIDE LOCAL AND STATEWIDE PARTNERS.

Program accomplishments

• The Education Law Center-PA's (ELC-PA) mission is to ensure access to a quality public education for all children in Pennsylvania. Over the past 50 years, ELC-PA has been a known resource for parents, child-serving professionals, and advocates in Pennsylvania. Our principal strategies include direct representation, impact litigation, policy advocacy, community engagement, and strategic communications. With offices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, we work statewide to provide immediate relief to individual students while also advancing systems-level reforms that benefit thousands of underserved students, guided by our three priority areas: 1) Ensuring Equal Access to Quality Public Schools: ELC-PA addresses real-time educational barriers and systemic concerns impacting the educational experiences of underserved student populations. Our focus is improving education access for children living in poverty, children with disabilities, children of color, children in the foster care and juvenile justice systems, children experiencing homelessness, multilingual learners, LGBTQ+ youth, and children at the intersection of multiple underserved identities. Our Helpline is the only free legal service solely focused on helping students access a quality public education in Pennsylvania, providing information, advice, referrals, legal consultation, and direct representation. We also produce publications and conduct trainings to help parents, caregivers, and child-serving professionals advocate on behalf of the children in their care. 2) Advocating for Fair Education Funding: ELC-PA works with statewide and local partners to push for the changes needed to address Pennsylvania's school funding crisis. We filed a lawsuit against the Commonwealth over a decade ago for failure to fund public education under the state constitution. We won this case in a decisive 2023 victory in Commonwealth Court, in an order and opinion finding education is a fundamental right and deeming the state's current funding system unconstitutional and discriminatory. Now, we are focused on the remedy. Our litigation is complemented by policy advocacy, including budget advocacy through the PA Schools Work (PASW) coalition, as well as educating policymakers on the state's education funding system, our lawsuit, and the necessary funding increases to ensure the state is adequately and equitably funding public education. 3) Dismantling the School-to-Prison Pipeline: ELC-PA aims to end school pushout by eliminating exclusionary discipline policies that disproportionately harm Black and Brown youth, students with disabilities, and LGBTQ+ and gender-expansive youth, with a focus on advancing the rights of Black girls. In addition to confronting discriminatory policies, we advocate for schools to adopt research-based interventions that will improve school climates and build inclusive, antiracist, and affirming schools. In the juvenile justice system, we aim to ensure that children can access the full range of public education programs, in part by advocating for the structures necessary to improve oversight of education in residential facilities. We also provide individual representation when students are excluded from the classroom without due process. OUR IMPACT We have seen monumental wins for students across Pennsylvania as a result of ELC-PA's 50 years of advocacy. Recent wins include: Secured a second year of historic new investments in Pennsylvania's most underfunded schools, bringing us closer to an equitable and constitutionally compliant school funding system mandated by the landmark decision in our Commonwealth Court case. Pushed back on federal efforts to undermine public education, including efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, deprive public schools of essential funding that supports our most underserved students, and drastically reduce federal enforcement of anti-discrimination laws. ELC-PA partners with organizations across the country to fight back through advocacy, federal comments, and amicus briefs, while providing critical Pennsylvania-specific context and demonstrating the real impact these federal threats have on local students and schools. Educated communities and school officials statewide on the rights of immigrant students in our public schools and provided model policies and protocols to ensure continued access to safe learning environments. Advocated for the passage of Pennsylvania's CROWN Act, helping secure new statutory protections that protect public school students against racial hair discrimination based on hair type, hair texture, or protective hairstyles like braids, twists, knows and locs. Public school students are specifically protected by this law. Released a report, along with Pennsylvania Partnerships for Children, that analyzed statewide data and identified education barriers impacting children and youth in foster care based on ELC-PA's representation. The report relies on statewide data not previously disclosed and breaks new ground by detailing the educational outcomes and glaring inequities for students in care. Assisted children experiencing homelessness, in foster care, and in the juvenile justice system to receive the education they need and deserve. Represented more than 90 families to secure early intervention services for their young children with disabilities and advocated for new systemic policies to ensure effective transition from preschool to kindergarten. Supported parent advocacy in 38 school districts, countering harmful, extremist school board policies that exclude transgender students and create hostile school environments for Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ students. Remedied special education deficiencies through state complaints that led to new policies expanding access to education for youth in detention centers in Philadelphia and Allegheny County. Through ELC-PA's Helpline, annually support more than 1,000 students and families - primarily those who are most marginalized by our education system at the intersection of race, gender, and disability.
  Expenses $1,952,527 · revenue $345,720

What it must file and when

IRS records say it files Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N. Its accounting year ends in September, so each return is due on the 15th day of the 5th month after that.

IRS record

EIN

23-2581102

Tax-exempt status

501(c)(3): Charitable, religious, educational or scientific organization

Foundation status

Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))

Donations deductible (Pub 78)

Public charity, 50% deduction limit

Exempt since

1990

Accounting year ends

September

Files

Form 990 or 990-EZ

Category (NTEE)

Education (B53Z)

Assets (IRS master file)

$12,052,041

Income (IRS master file)

$8,273,405

Filing history

990-N: the IRS bulk file holds only the latest e-Postcard per organization; earlier years come from archived copies of that file since 2020 and can have gaps (the IRS e-Postcard search lists every one). 990, 990-EZ, 990-PF, 990-T: every e-filed return in the IRS e-file index since 2019; XML for the latest three processing years, amounts from the IRS Statistics of Income extracts before that. PDF copies and determination letters at the IRS (search EIN 23-2581102).

Questions about EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA

What is the EIN of EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA?

The employer identification number (EIN) of EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA is 23-2581102.

Is EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA tax-exempt?

Yes. The IRS lists it as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) since 1990.

Are donations to EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA tax-deductible?

Yes. It is listed in IRS Publication 78 (Public charity, 50% deduction limit).

Which annual return does EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA file?

Form 990 or 990-EZ. Based on its last return; a smaller organization may file the 990-N.

When is the next return of EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA due?

The return for tax year 2025 (the year ending September 30, 2026) is due February 16, 2027. Form 8868 extends it by six months; the 990-N cannot be extended.

When did EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA last file with the IRS?

The latest return in the IRS public files is the 990 for the year ended September 2025.

Who is the principal officer of EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA?

The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 names DEBORAH GORDON KLEHR.

Who are the officers and directors of EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA?

The 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 lists 25 people; 5 received compensation from the organization, the highest $170,944 (DEBORAH GORDON KLEHR, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR).

How much revenue does EDUCATION LAW CENTER - PA have?

On its 990 for the year ended September 30, 2025 it reported revenue of $4,114,959, expenses of $2,662,744 and total assets of $12,052,041 at year end.

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