Education Law Association

What Education Law Association does

Education Law Association (ELA) is a nonprofit professional membership association founded in 1954 and headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It serves attorneys, professors, school and university administrators, policy experts, students, and public officials who work at the intersection of education and law, providing unbiased information about legal issues affecting K-12 and higher education in the United States, Canada, and abroad.

ELA's core offering is an integrated platform of peer-reviewed journals (the Journal of Education Finance & Law; the West Education Law Reporter co-published with Thomson Reuters since 1982; and the Special Education Legal Update by Perry A. Zirkel), the quarterly Law & Policy in Schools (LAPIS) magazine, and a catalog of authoritative books including The Yearbook of Education Law and A Guide to Special Education Law. These publications are paired with professional development programs — an Annual Conference (the 72nd edition scheduled for October 21-24, 2026 in Raleigh-Durham, NC), webinars, Coffee Talks, the Education Law Scholars Early Career Fellowship, and the Oxford Round Table Symposium. Five named awards plus the newly launched Hall of Fame anchor its recognition and academic-pipeline role.

ELA operates on a community-led go-to-market with a diversified revenue model: annual membership dues ($75 student, $175 introductory/retired, $250 professional, auto-renewing), conference registrations ($210-$815 depending on member status), conference sponsorships across five tiers ($350 to $5,000+), publication subscriptions (LAPIS at $9.95/issue or $38.80/year), and CLE-bearing webinars. Operations run on a lean staff of 7 with Naylor Association Management Software and the SCHED conference platform as core technology infrastructure, and no parent company, funding rounds, or external investors.

Name

Education Law Association

Legal name

Education Law Association

Website

https://educationlaw.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Education Law Association is a 72-year-old nonprofit membership association serving attorneys, professors, administrators, students, and policymakers with peer-reviewed journals, books, conferences, webinars, and CLE programs in education law.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association and Legal Education Publishing

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Law School Continuing Legal Education (CLE) & Executive Programs (EDAHAIAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Law School Research Centers & Institutes (e.g., Law & Economics, Human Rights) (EDAHAIAJ)

Keywords

• Education law association
• Professional membership services
• Legal education publishing
• Continuing legal education
• Nonprofit scholarly association

Headquarters

HQ city

Philadelphia, PA

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide recurring revenue. Membership tiers include Professional ($250), Introductory ($175), Retired ($175), and Student ($75). All memberships include access to publications, webinars, conference discounts, and the professional learning community.
2. Annual Conference: Conference registration fees for the annual event. 2026 conference rates: Professional Member $525, Retired Member $440, Student Member $210, Non-Members $815. The 72nd Annual Conference is scheduled for October 21-24, 2026 in Raleigh-Durham, NC.
3. Publications and Periodicals: Sales of books, journals (including the Journal of Education Finance & Law), and the Law & Policy in Schools magazine ($9.95/issue or $38.80/year subscription). West Education Law Reporter provides case summaries and analysis.
4. Conference Sponsorships: Corporate and institutional sponsorships for annual conferences at multiple tiers: Platinum ($5,000+), Gold ($3,000-$4,999), Silver ($1,500-$2,999), Bronze ($800-$1,499), and Champion ($350-$799).
5. Webinars and Professional Development: Free and discounted webinars for members providing continuing legal education and professional development.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Education Law Association is a nonprofit membership association that provides education law professionals with access to peer-reviewed journals, practitioner magazines, authoritative books, an annual conference, webinars, and professional fellowship programs. It sells individual memberships, conference registrations, publication subscriptions, and sponsorships rather than any proprietary technology or product, and does not provide legal advice or attorney referrals.

Product overview

The Education Law Association offers a platform of interconnected professional resources centered on education law scholarship and practice. The core offerings include peer-reviewed journals (Journal of Education Finance & Law, West Education Law Reporter, Special Education Legal Update), practitioner magazines (Law & Policy in Schools), and authoritative book publications (The Yearbook of Education Law, A Guide to Special Education Law, The Principal's Legal Handbook). These publications are complemented by professional development programs including the Annual Conference, webinars, Coffee Talks, and the Education Law Scholars Early Career Fellowship. International programming includes the Oxford Round Table Symposium. The association also provides member services including a professional learning community, membership directory, and continuing legal education credits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Journal of Education Finance & Law (JEFL) The flagship peer-reviewed journal of the Education Law Association, advancing scholarship at the intersection of education, finance, and law to support and strengthen public education at all levels. Targeted at education law scholars, policy researchers, and practitioners.
• West Education Law Reporter A specialized legal resource published in collaboration with Thomson Reuters, compiling full-text opinions of selected state and federal education court cases from 1982 to present. Serves attorneys, educators, and legal professionals needing current and historical case-law coverage.
• Special Education Legal Update Periodical authored by Perry A. Zirkel that highlights major new legal developments in special education, focusing on student issues under the IDEA and Section 504/ADA. Targeted at special education administrators, advocates, and attorneys.
• Law & Policy in Schools Magazine (LAPIS) A quarterly practitioner-focused magazine providing current news and insights on national education law and policy issues for K-12 schools, covering topics including student speech, employment, Title IX, and privacy. Available at $9.95 per issue or $38.80/year for four issues with auto-renew.
• ELA Books Publications Comprehensive authoritative volumes including The Yearbook of Education Law, A Guide to Special Education Law, The Principal's Legal Handbook, and Contemporary Issues in Higher Education Law, used as textbooks and professional references.
• Annual Conference The Education Law Association's annual conference presenting opportunities to engage with recent developments and emerging trends in education law, featuring dynamic keynote speakers, engaging workshops, and networking opportunities. The 72nd Annual Conference is scheduled for October 21-24, 2026, in Raleigh-Durham, NC. Registration rates: Professional Member $525, Retired Member $440, Student Member $210, Non-Members $815.
• Webinars Online professional development programs and webinars delivering continuing legal education and professional development in education law, offered free or at reduced rates to members.
• Education Law Scholars Early Career Fellowship Fellowship program supporting professional development of early career scholars specializing in education law and policy, providing mentorship and constructive feedback on work-in-progress.
• Oxford Round Table Symposium International symposium on Education Law, Policy and Finance hosted at the University of Oxford, bringing together scholars, practitioners, and policymakers for substantive dialogue.
• ELA Membership Annual membership tiers including Professional ($250), Introductory ($175 for first-year only), Retired ($175), and Student ($75), granting access to publications, periodicals, member directory, sections, conference discounts, and webinars. All memberships automatically renew each year and may be canceled anytime.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72nd Annual Conference 2026 - October 21-24 in Raleigh-Durham, NC
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, key and minor.

• Embassy Suites Raleigh Durham Research TrianglecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 October 2026Host venue for the 72nd Annual Conference October 21-24, 2026. Located at 201 Harrison Oaks Blvd, Cary, NC 27513, with complimentary shuttle to RDU Airport.
• SCHEDcoreTechnology or IntegrationNew conference platform for 2026 serving as central hub for proposals, scheduling, communication, and live conference program with mobile access.
• Thomson Reuters / WestcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPublisher of West's Education Law Reporter (WELR), a specialized legal resource compiled in collaboration with ELA since 1982. Published in volumes from 1982 to present.
• Florida Gulf Coast UniversitykeyStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Platinum conference sponsor and institutional host for the Education Law Association.
• Husch Blackwell LLPkeyStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Gold conference sponsor. Law firm specializing in education law practice.
• University of North Carolina CharlotteminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Silver conference sponsor.
• University of LouisvilleminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Silver conference sponsor.
• Brackett & Ellis P.C.minorStrategic or Co-development Partner2025 Silver conference sponsor. Law firm.
• Texas A&M University of San AntoniominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference sponsor.
• University of FloridaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerConference sponsor.
• Naylor Association Management SoftwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides association management software powering the ELA website, membership system, and conference registration.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• National Education Association (NEA): Largest U.S. employee labor union representing public school teachers and education support professionals. Comparable to ELA through overlapping education-policy interest and large annual convening, though its primary focus is labor advocacy rather than law.
• AASA (The School Superintendents Association): National professional association for K-12 superintendents and school system leaders. Comparable to ELA in serving school administrators, providing professional development, conferences, and policy resources.
• National School Boards Association (NSBA): Larger federation representing school board members and the broader K-12 governance community. Comparable to ELA through overlapping member constituencies (school administrators, K-12 governance professionals) and education-policy focus.
• American Bar Association (ABA) - State and Local Government Law Section: Major national bar association section covering public-sector legal practice including education law. Comparable as a broader CLE and publication provider for attorneys whose practice includes education and public-sector law.
• Consortium of State School Boards Associations: Coalition of state school boards associations. Comparable as a parallel membership organization addressing school law, governance, and policy issues across U.S. jurisdictions.

Direct peers

• National Council of Professors of Educational Administration (NCPEA): Membership association for educational leadership professors and scholars. Comparable to ELA in serving the academic side of education policy/research and operating conferences, journals, and awards programs.
• National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA): Membership association for attorneys practicing higher education law. Directly comparable to ELA in serving legal counsel at educational institutions, providing CLE, publications, and an annual conference focused on education law.
• Council of School Attorneys (COSA): Affiliate of the National School Boards Association serving attorneys who represent K-12 public school districts. Directly comparable as a parallel membership body of school law attorneys offering CLE, publications, and networking.

Emerging players

• EducationCounsel LLC: Education policy and law consulting firm. Comparable to ELA as a specialized education-law entity that publishes policy analysis and serves education attorneys and administrators, though as a for-profit consultancy.

Regional players

• National Association of State Boards of Education (NASBE): U.S. association of state boards of education with policy and governance focus. Comparable to ELA in addressing legal and policy issues affecting education at the governance/policy level.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/groups/educationlaw.org
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/education-law-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Education Law Association