On June 3rd, Judge Legrome D. Davis approved our class action settlement, which ensures parents of children with autism in Philadelphia will receive formal notification that their children may be transferred to a new school, as well as information on their right to participate in a formal meeting with school officials to discuss the transition. This is a huge, new benefit for the more than 1,600 students with autism in the School District of Philadelphia, who by nature of their disability, have difficulty with transitions.

The Autism Shuffle Team

 

We also helped a 16-year-old with dyslexia who was making little progress in his placement at a private school. Even though he is enrolled in the School District of Philadelphia, the District decided it had no responsibility to make sure he was getting help in the private setting. Because of our efforts, the District is now required to provide the student with evaluations, compensatory education and specialized instructions. 

 

 

We need your help! Medicaid expansion is on the move. The House Human Service Committee has voted a bill out of committee that would temporarily expand Medicaid for the hundreds of thousands of people who need it, while we wait to learn if Governor Corbett's Healthy PA plan will be approved by the federal government. Contact your state representatives today and ask them to vote YES for HB 1492 to cover the hundreds of thousands of low-income people who are currently without insurance. 

Thanks to your help, Philadelphia City Council authorized the City of Philadelphia to borrow $57 million on behalf of the School District of Philadelphia. This is a great first step, but it is not a long-term solution to education funding problems in Philadelphia. Continue to contact City Council and state government to let them know that Philadelphia students deserve better.

William Ewing is a shining example for lawyers who want to get involved in public interest work, and he was a wonderful member of the Law Center Board of Directors for more than 25 years. We are pleased to honor Bill with our 2014 Thaddeus Stevens Champion Award for his years of service and generosity. We will present the award on Tuesday, October 14, 2014, at A Celebration of Civil Rights, our annual cocktail party at the Center for Architecture from 6 - 8:30 p.m. Congratulate him by liking his donor spotlight on our Facebook page. 

Howard Levinson has worked closely with the Law Center on several cases, including a pending case under the Right To Know Law. He also worked on a case which required an analysis of the history from 1999 to present of the academic standards for public school students as ultimately established by the Pennsylvania State Board of Education. "The cases undertaken by the Law Center are focused on furthering the goals of democracy and equal opportunity. It is a pleasure and honor to be associated with this public-spirited and well-educated group of individuals." 

The Law Center is pleased to announce that we have been selected to receive a grant from the United Way to fund our education advocacy work. The Law Center is also pleased to announce a grant from The Hassel Foundation that will allow us to provide legal and technical assistance to ensure continued availability of family planning services to low income men, women and adolescents in southeastern Pennsylvania.