Law Center Updates

Healthy Foods Green Spaces

The Law Center and partner organizations have convened a constituent-led coalition to advocate for healthy foods and green spaces in Philadelphia. 

Voter ID Legislation – A Public Interest Legal Challenge

Monday November 5, 2012, 4:30-6:30pm Penn Law School, Gittis 214

The Law Center and PCCY Comment on OCDEL’s Proposed Eligibility Policy

The Law Center and Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) submitted comments on the Office of Child Development and Early Learning Services (OCDEL)’s proposed policy for the Eligibility for Infant/Toddler and Preschool Early Intervention services. The Law Center’s Sonja Kerr and PCCY’s Executive Director, Shelly Yanoff, addressed three primary concerns regarding the policy, as […]

The Law Center Honors Dechert LLP

The Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia has named Dechert’s Philadelphia office as the recipient of its 2012 Thaddeus Stevens Award. This award honors an individual or organization whose actions best illustrate the Law Center’s mission: using high- impact legal strategies to improve the well-being and life prospects of the Philadelphia region’s most vulnerable populations […]

Law Center’s Michael Churchill Invited to White House to Discuss Public Education

On August 30, 2012, the Law Center’s Michael Churchill was one of only 40 education leaders from Pennsylvania invited to Washington to meet with White House senior policy advisors and top staff from the Department of Education.

Law Center Urges Congress to Pass the Keeping All Students Safe Act

The Law Center, along with over 150 organizations across the country, has signed a letter urging Congress to pass the Keeping All Students Safe Act, which will create restraint and seclusion standards in schools that will better protect both students and staff.

Law Center Joins Advocates in Urging Governor to Pass Special Education Funding Reform

The Law Center, along with 24 other organizations, has sent Governor Tom Corbett a letter urging him to move Senate Bill 1115 through as quickly as possible. If passed, the bill will help improve the efficiency with which special education funding is distributed in the state, helping 270,000 students with special needs receive the educations […]

“City Schools’ Real Problem”

An op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer co-authored by the Law Center’s Michael Churchill highlights the real reason results are floundering in the School District of Philadelphia: funding.

The ‘20% less’ solution is the problem, not the answer

In an editorial published by the Public School Notebook, the Law Center’s Michael Churchill discusses the real causes of the Philadelphia School District’s budget gap. Contrary to the belief that the District’s deficits are caused by excessive spending, Philadelphia actually spends $2,703 less per pupil than districts in neighboring counties. Mr. Churchill explains that the […]

Law Center to SRC: Reorganization Plan Must Explain How Special Education Will Be Delivered

In testimony on June 21, Law Center Attorney Sonja Kerr along with several other special education advocates urged the School Reform Commission (SRC), to consider how the reorganization and transition proposals for the next school year will affect the 20% of the students in the district with disabilities.

page 17 of 20