ELPA researchers earn Spencer grant to study impact of restrictive LGBTQ+ policiesA research team led by UW–Madison alumna Erin Gill was recently awarded a $50,000 Small Grant from the Spencer Foundation to examine how LGBTQ+-restrictive legislation affects student safety and well-being. The research team includes (from left) Erin Gill, Mollie McQuillan, and Benjamin Lebovitz. According to the research team, the number of LGBTQ+-restrictive education bills introduced nationwide grew from none in 2015 to 290 in 2023. As state policy decisions continue to reshape schools across the country, the study aims to inform future policies that advance, rather than diminish, educational equity. In notifying the team of the award, the Spencer Foundation noted that the project was selected from approximately 1,300 grant proposals.