Big names in education in town Thursday

by Erika Owens on Sep 28 2010

The Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia (PILCOP) is hosting its third annual Symposium on Equality on Thursday. The symposium is from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m. at the Arch Street Meeting House, and will be followed by the Thaddeus Stevens Award cocktail reception and dinner from 5-9 p.m. at The Down Town Club. Tickets are only on sale for a few more hours.

Warren Simmons, current director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform and former executive director of the Philadelphia Education Fund will give the keynote address titled "What is Washington doing and does it help or hurt?"

Deborah Meier and James H. (Torch) Lytle will discuss what it takes to produce quality education in racially isolated, high poverty schools. Other topics include special education, the legal framework for education, and what contributes to students leaving school.

The symposium will end with a discussion of next steps. Several Notebook bloggers will be at the event, and we'll share highlights from the sessions and let you know what ideas come out of this conversation.

The Law Center will honor Governor Rendell, Secretary of Policy and Planning Donna Cooper, and The Honorable Doris A. Smith-Ribner at the award dinner Thursday evening.

The event is billed as a chance for the Philadelphia advocacy community to get a lesson in education policy, and PILCOP has gathered some of the best education thinkers around to teach us.