Lehigh Education and Law Professor Receives National Award

With more than 1,350 publications and presentations behind him, Perry Zirkel is one of the most cited authors in education law. He has published and presented his work on empirical and practical analyses of legal developments for school leaders all over the United States. His speaking engagements have taken him to every state except Hawaii.

For his contributions to the field, Zirkel recently won the Edwin M. Bridges Award by the University Council for Educational Administration.

“It gives meaning to a long career of scholarly activity,” Zirkel said of the honor.
 
Zirkel’s research focuses on empirical and practical studies of special education law, as well as more general education law and current labor arbitration issues. His experience spans more than 35 years as an impartial specialist in education law, with a sub-specialty in special education law.

The award recognizes Zirkel's “originality of effort” in particular.

“For whatever reason, no one else has combined the empirical approach with legal material (i.e, legislation, regulations and case law) with a focus on the education practitioner,” Zirkel said.

His colleague, George White, nominated him, and former doctoral students and colleagues at various institutions provided supporting letters.

Zirkel has published several books about how the law affects people with learning disabilities, and he writes a regular column for Principal magazine.
 
The former dean of Lehigh’s College of Education, more recently Zirkel held the Iacocca Chair in Education for its five-year term. Zirkel organizes Lehigh’s weeklong Special Education Law Symposium and the university’s annual Special Education Law Conference.

Zirkel has a Ph.D. in Educational Administration, a J.D. from the University of Connecticut, and a Master of Laws degree from Yale University.

Zirkel's upcoming presentations can be found here.