Oct 24, 2023
Testimony Presented by Donna Cooper, Executive Director, Children First PA to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Joint Hearing Education and Appropriations Committee October 24, 2023 Currently, more than 50,000 third graders in the state are struggling with...
Oct 20, 2023
WE LEARNED SOME BIG THINGS “You’re being told no all the time, and you could get discouraged about life,” said Philadelphia high school student Rhymier McKellar. Rhymier sounded like a grownup, detailing his rebellious life of “running around...
Oct 17, 2023
On Tuesday, October 17, 2023, Philadelphia City Councilperson Kenyatta Johnson held a hearing on Early Intervention Services for children in Philadelphia. Melissa Suarez, is an Early Childhood Education advocate and a graduate of our Parents Empowered for Change...
Oct 16, 2023
HELPING HISPANIC STUDENTS REACH FOR THE STARS The first Latina astronaut to go to space, Ellen Ochoa, said, “The opportunities I had were a result of having a good educational background. Education is what allows you to stand out.” With six out of...
Sep 28, 2023
Testimony Presented to the Pennsylvania Basic Education Funding Commission By Donna Cooper, Executive Director, Children First September 14, 2023 The evidence presented in the historic William Penn v Commonwealth litigation demonstrates that the legislature and...
Sep 8, 2023
THE HEAT IS ON It wasn’t too long ago when school board meetings discussed student success, teacher performance, and keeping buildings and budgets in good shape. But COVID masking requirements elicited an ugly side of civic engagement. A new movement that used...
