Awards
An important part of our mission is to recognize distinguished accomplishments in education law. This page describes our awards and past recipients. We welcome nominations and invite ELA members to get involved in committees. The Awards Committee provides overall management of the Education Law Association awards process and coordination among its several subcommittees responsible for managing nominations and selecting recipients of each of the following awards.Â
Dissertation of the Year
The Joseph C. Beckham Award recognizes exemplary dissertations by doctoral students on topics related to education law. The award is named after Joseph C. Beckham, Former President of the Education Law Association (1991), and Professor Emeritus of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at Florida State University.
2023 Kristine Bowman
2022 No Award
2021 Gillian Foss and Dominic Ledesma
2020 Patrick Ober
2019 No Award
2018 No Award
2017 No Award
2016 Marilyn S. Anglade
2015 Maria Lewis
2014 Michelle Gough McKeown
2013 Robert Fitzgerald
2012 Erica Salkin
2011 Janet R. Decker
2010 No Award
2009 Scott R. Bauries
2008 Howard J. Eberwein, III
2007 Laurence B. Alexander
2006 Rodney Marty
2005 John LaNear
2004 Judith Risch
2003 Richard Elliott Day
2002 Watt Lesley Black, Jr.
2001 Kerry Brian Melear
2000 Theresa B. Harrison
1999 Cheri C. Magill
1998 Douglas R. Pearson
1997 Susan Clark
1996 Patricia Todd Bausch
1995 No Award
1994 Julie Fisher Mead
1993 James Thomason Jeffers
1992 Anne Browning Masters
1991 Jill Jones White
1990 Terrence Leas
1989 No Award
1988 No Award
1987 Rosette Liberman
Purpose
To recognize exemplary dissertations by doctoral students in the field of education law. In addition to the traditional legal research type of dissertations, studies that utilize empirical research on specific problems will be considered. Topics selected should reflect a direct relationship with educational law.
Eligibility
Dissertations defended in the two years prior to the current ELA Annual Conference year (e.g., if the conference occurred in 2021, dissertations could have been defended in calendar years of 2021 or 2020)
Criteria
The dissertation will be evaluated on how well it:
- Conceptually clear and addresses important problem or hypothesis.
- Comprehensive and relevant review of applicable literature.
- Utilization of methodologically sound approach.
- Cogent analysis of the data.
- Significant results and discussion.
- Polished writing style and appropriate documentation.
Nomination
While it is preferable that the chair or a member of the student’s dissertation committee, as a member of the Education Law Association, nominate the dissertation, any ELA member in good standing may nominate an exemplary dissertation for the award. The nominating ELA member should submit a letter of nomination with no personally identifiable information regarding the nominee that includes an endorsement attesting to the nominee’s eligibility and specifying the meritorious nature of the dissertation. Self-nominations will not be accepted. Submit a copy of the dissertation that has no personally-identifying information and has the abstract as the first page. The committee will utilize a blind review process with multiple readers. If necessary, the first review will be based on the nominee’s abstract. The subcommittee should make every attempt to recommend a meritorious dissertation each year, although the award will only be given if the committee finds an exemplary dissertation.
Please submit the nomination through the new Proposal Portal.
Selection
ELA’s Joseph C. Beckham Dissertation of the Year Subcommittee reviews and evaluates submissions for the Dissertation of the Year Award and selects the award recipient, if one is granted for the year. The subcommittee uses a blind-review process, with multiple readers. If necessary, the first review will be based on the nominee’s abstract. While the subcommittee will make every attempt to select a meritorious dissertation each year, the award will only be given if the committee finds an exemplary dissertation.
Award
The award recipient will receive:
- Invited to present the nominated work at the annual meeting.
- One-year complimentary membership in the Education Law Association
- Presentation of a plaque during the annual conference
- Complimentary conference registration for the year of the award.
Education Law Writing
The George Jay Joseph Education Law Writing Award generates increased interest in and recognition of education law among not only graduate students in education schools but also, in particular, to students in law schools. The award is named for the late George Jay Joseph, a Baltimore businessman who founded two legal publishing companies and the Journal of Law and Education.
2023 Joe Aldridge
2022 Breanna Bollig
2021 Chris Yarrell
2020 Sierra Brown
2019 No Award
2018 Sarah Loy
2017 Daisha L. Hodges
2016 Stephen S. Worthington
2015 Cerin Lindgrensavage
2014 Tyler Brewer
2013 Matthew Saleh
2012 Calanthe A. Cope-Kasten
2011 Dylan P. Grady
2010 Caitlan M. Cullitan
2009 Lauren S. Foley
2008 Kimberly Gee
Purpose
The George Jay Joseph Education Law Writing Award generates increased interest in and recognition of education law among not only graduate students in education schools but also, in particular, to students in law schools.Â
Eligibility
The manuscript must have been drafted in two years prior to the current conference year (e.g., if the conference occurred in 2021, manuscripts must have been written in the 2021 or 2020 calendar years). The manuscript must have not been previously published and not under review elsewhere for publication. Manuscript must be single-authored by a law student or a student in a graduate program. Doctoral dissertations are not eligible; they are subject to a different ELA Award; however, manuscripts that synthesize dissertations may be submitted provided that they meet the specifications.
Criteria
The criteria for selection of the scholarly manuscript are the following:
- Subject matter: One or more legal issues within any of the various contexts of education, including public and private PK-12 schools and institutions of higher education, especially current and emerging issues;
- Substance: Comprehensive and accurate coverage of a topic of significance to education law.
- Originality: Contributes to the field of education law by offering a novel and creative analysis.
- Style: The manuscript’s writing and organization are clear
- Effectiveness: The thesis/argument is supported persuasively with references throughout.
Nomination
The author will submit a copy of the manuscript that 1) does not include personally identifiable information, 2) includes footnotes that carefully conform to the Blue Book citation style, and 3) is approximately 15,000 words in length. If the subcommittee identifies a manuscript that doesn’t conform with length or citation requirements, it will return the manuscript to the author and invite them to resubmit in a future year. The committee will utilize a blind review process with multiple readers. The readers will provide feedback for revision because the article is being submitted for publication. The subcommittee should make every attempt to recommend a meritorious manuscript each year, although the award will only be given if the committee finds an exemplary manuscript. The subcommittee will provide the awardee and the Editor(s) from the Journal of Law and Education with the readers’ reviewers’ feedback. The journal will collaborate with the awardee to revise the manuscript for publication.
Please submit the nomination through the new Proposal Portal.
Award
The award recipient will receive:
- One-year complimentary membership in the Education Law Association.
- Presentation of a plaque during the annual conference.
- Complimentary conference registration for the year of the award.
Distinguished Scholarship in Education Law
This award is presented annually in recognition of an outstanding article, book, book chapter, or other form of scholarly legal writing in the field of Education Law. The award is named after the late Steven S. Goldberg, an ELA member, a professor of education, and the Educational Leadership Program Coordinator at Arcadia University, whose gift funded the award.
2023 Matthew Patrick Shaw
2022 Christopher D. Thomas
2021 Marcos A. Mendoza
2020 Justin Driver
2019 Maryam Ahranjani
2018 Barbara Fedders
2017 Karen M. Tani
2016 Kimberly Jenkins Robinson and Perry A. Zirkel
2015 Derek W. Black
2014 Michael Olivas
2013 Anne Newman
2012 Eloise Pasachoff
2011 Martha L. Minow
2010 Kristi L. Bowman
2009 Benjamin M. Superfine
2008 James E. Ryan
2007 Goodwin Liu
Purpose
The Steven S. Goldberg Award for Distinguished Scholarship in Education Law is presented annually in recognition of an outstanding article, book, book chapter, or other form of scholarly legal writing in the field of Education Law.Â
Eligibility
The nominee does not need to be a member of the Education Law Association.
Criteria
The submission must be a work of scholarly excellence that has an impact on education law. It must have been published within the past two calendar years prior to the annual conference deadline for nominations. And nominated work must be written by an individual author.
Nomination
Any ELA member may nominate a piece of legal writing. In addition, the ELA Goldberg Awards Committee members may review written work and select an outstanding piece that has not been formally nominated. The Nominations must include (a) a cover letter stating the justification for the nomination and (b) a copy of the nominated work. Self-nominations will not be accepted. The award is granted on the basis of merit as determined by the subcommittee.
Please submit the nomination through the new Proposal Portal.
Selection
The Goldberg Award Subcommittee reviews and evaluates nominated and other eligible works and selects the award recipient, if one is granted for the year. While the subcommittee will make every attempt to select a meritorious brief each year, the award will only be given if the committee finds an exemplary piece of scholarship.
Award
The award recipient will receive:
- Invited to present the nominated work at the annual meeting.
- One-year complimentary membership in the Education Law Association.
- Presentation of a plaque during the annual conference.
- Complimentary conference registration for the year of the award.
Outstanding Appellate Brief
This award recognizes outstanding brief writing in an appellate court in a case concerning education law. The award is named after August W. Steinbhilber, Jr. (1932-2013), who, as EducationWeek reports, “helped shape education policy as the top federal lobbyist and later the general counsel of the National School Boards Association.” Gus, as he was fondly known, served as the former president of the Education Law Association in 1977.
2023 Council of the Great City Schools and Husch Blackwell, LLP
2022 Christopher Lund
2021 Husch Blackwell, LLP, the Council of the Great City Schools, and Eric S. Jaffe
2020 Richard Katskee
2019 No Award
2018 Michelle Cooper, Karen Glasser Sharp, Sara Bevins, Curtis T. Hill, Jr., Thomas M. Fisher, Lara Klangeneckert, Julia C. Payne
2017 Husch Blackwell LLP
2016 No Award
2015 Kevin M. McKenna
Purpose
To recognize outstanding brief writing in an appellate court case involving education law.Â
Eligibility
An appellate brief filed in court between July 1 of the calendar year preceding the Annual Conference Year and June 30 of the Annual Conference year (e.g., if the conference occurred in 2021, briefs could have been filed in calendar between July 1, 2020 to June 20, 2021). Any ELA member may nominate a brief. In addition, the ELA Steinhilber Awards Committee members may review appellate briefs and select an outstanding brief which has not been formally nominated. This is based on the committee’s discretion. The author(s) need not be ELA member(s). Both amicus curiae briefs and party briefs are eligible.Â
Criteria
Because ELA is a nonpartisan forum, there will be no bias in favor of or against a particular legal position or party.  The award is granted on the basis of merit as determined by the Steinhilber Award Subcommittee of ELA’s Awards Committee. Criteria shall include:
- Quality of Writing: Including such points as logical structure of argument, paragraphs and sentences; conciseness and clarity; emphasizing the key points; use of headings and quotations.
- Quality of Analysis: including such points as presentation of the theory of the case and its limits; presentation of the doctrinal context; focus on points relevant to the Court; use of precedent; inclusion of relevant authority; discussion of relevance to education.
Nomination
Nominations must include a copy of the nominated work. Please submit the nomination through the new Proposal Portal.
Selection
The Steinhilber Award Subcommittee reviews and evaluates nominated and other eligible briefs and selects the award recipient, if one is granted for the year. While the subcommittee will make every attempt to select a meritorious brief each year, the award will only be given if the committee finds an exemplary brief.
Award
The award recipient will receive:
- One-year complimentary membership in the Education Law Association.
- Presentation of a plaque during the annual conference.
- Complimentary conference registration for the year of the award.
Distinguished Service
The M.A. McGhehey Award recognizes outstanding service in the field of education law and to the Education Law Association. The award is named after Marion A. McGhehy (1921-1982) who served as president in 1961, and then as executive director from 1962 to 1982 of ELA in its original incarnation as the National Organization on Legal Problems in Education (NOLPE), and who also led both the Indiana School Boards Association and the Kansas Association of School Boards.
2023 Wayne D. Haglund
2022 R. Craig Wood (Florida) (Deceased)
2021 Christopher P. Borreca
2020 No award
2019 Lynn Rossi Scott
2018 Patrick D. Pauken
2017 William E. Thro
2016 Lois F. Berlin
2015 Susan G. Clark
2014 Richard Fossey
2013 P. Tyson Bennet
2012 No award
2011 David M. Schimmel
2010 Terrence Leas
2009 R. Craig Wood (Virginia)
2008 Allan G. Osborne
2007 M. David Alexander
2006 Philip T.K. Daniel
2005 Rick Dickinson
2004 Ralph D. Mawdsley
2003 Jeffrey J. Horner
2002 Charles J. Russo
2001 Clifford P. Hooker
2000 Perry Zirkel
1999 D. Parker Young
1998 John Lewis
1997 Nelda Cambron-McCabe
1996 Joseph C. Beckham
1995 August W. Steinhilber
1994 Floyd G. Delon
1993 Martha L. Ware (Deceased)
1992 Martha M. McCarthy
1991 Kelly Frels
1990 Stephen B. Thomas
1989 Walter L. Hetzel
1988 M. Chester Nolte
1987 Irving C. Evers (Deceased)
1986 E. Edmund Reutter, Jr.
1985 Roger M. Shaw (Deceased)
1984 Reynolds C. Seitz
Purpose
The M.A. McGhehey Award recognizes outstanding service in the field of education law and to the Education Law Association.
Eligibility
ELA members, living or deceased.
Criteria
The individual receiving the award must have a long history of service to the Education Law Association. The individual’s work must have had an impact nationally in the field of law and education. Such impact may be evidenced through a history of publications, recognized excellence in legal practice, widely-respected advocacy, teaching, or leadership that advances the field, and other significant contributions to the study, teaching, or practice of education law.
Nomination
Submit a nomination letter that addresses the McGhehey Award criteria. The discussion of contributions to the field should include specific publications, presentations, and other accomplishments, and the discussion of service to ELA should identify specific committees and leadership roles. Submit nominee’s current CV with education law contributions highlighted. Additional letters of support may be provided to the committee. Members of the sub-committee can make nominations themselves.
Please submit the Please submit the nomination through the new Proposal Portal.
Selection
The McGhehy Award Subcommittee of ELA’s Awards Committee reviews and evaluates submissions McGhehy Award and selects the award recipient if one is granted for the year.
Award
The award recipient will be presented with an award plaque during the ELA Annual Conference.
