Education Rights Counsel

09/03/2026

ERC is gearing up for some festive family fun! We’re hosting Friendly Frights & Education Rights: A Community Day of Legal Support and Family Fun October 17 from 9:30AM to 4 PM. This free, family-friendly event will bring together families, educators, and community partners for a day combining practical legal guidance with fall-themed community celebration.

We invite you to the Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center for community bonding, empowering family training sessions and a shared lunch where you can connect with other parents. The day also features a resource fair with local organizations, personalized one-on-one IEP clinic services, and plenty of family-friendly fun including art activities and a sensory-friendly haunted house. We look forward to seeing you at Friendly Frights & Education Rights! Use the this link to RSVP: https://www.educationrightscounsel.org/friendly-frights-education-rights.

09/02/2026

Members of the ERC team spent Saturday, August 22nd with Connected Roots Care Center at their Big Dreams Festival.

CRCC hosted their annual festival dedicated to including children of all abilities, diagnosis and backgrounds at Stinson Park. ERC joined a vibrant group of community partners and vendors in the Festival Village. We connected with parents, educators and even Vortex from the Omaha Stormchasers!

Thank you to CRCC for including us in your Village!

08/31/2026

Abi joined our team as an Associate Attorney one year ago, bringing sharp instincts, careful judgment, and a real gift for reading what a situation, or a family, needs. She's the kind of colleague who makes everyone around her better, always ready to pitch in and support the team.

Her impact reaches well beyond casework, too. Abi has been instrumental in helping plan ERC's fundraising events, bringing the same energy and attention to detail to that work as she does in advocating for families.

Here's to a fantastic first year, Abi, and to all the great work still ahead!

08/28/2026

What a night! Whether you raised a glass with us in person or supported us from afar, thank you for being part of Raise the Bar. It was an evening full of connection, joy, and a well-deserved celebration for Kayla Dunlap.

Evenings like this remind us why this work matters. Every contribution, every piece of ERC merch, and every conversation added up to something bigger: a community showing up for kids and the educators who champion them.

Congratulations again to Kayla Dunlap on receiving the Debora Basler Wisneski Inclusive Innovation in Education Award. Her compassion and courage are exactly what we hope to celebrate more of, in classrooms and beyond. Thank you also to State Senator Victor Rountree for taking the time to present the award and celebrate great educators.

And to you: thank you. For showing up, for giving, for believing that every child belongs. Your support is the reason ERC's work is possible, and we're already looking forward to next year.

08/25/2026

Raise the Bar is tomorrow! Come spend an evening with us celebrating inclusive education at Brickway Brewery & Distillery from 5-7 PM. We’ll have brand new ERC merchandise that will be available tomorrow evening at Brickway. Come browse our merch table before we celebrate our 2026 Debora Basler Wisneski Inclusive Innovation in Education Award, Kayla Dunlap.

Admission is free to anyone 21+.
RSVP here:

Celebrating Every Child's Right to Learn and Inclusive Educators

08/24/2026

Two years ago, Erin joined ERC as an Associate Attorney, and we are so lucky to have her! She's whip-smart, endlessly prepared, and brings a genuine warmth to every family she works with. Erin is the kind of advocate people feel lucky to have in their corner. Thank you for everything you bring to this team. We're happy to celebrate two amazing years with you!

08/21/2026

On Monday, Voices for Children in Nebraska, Education Rights Counsel, and ACLU Nebraska joined community members, parents, educators, advocates, and others who spoke up about the use of electrified gloves in Nebraska schools. Our collective voice was heard. Those who raised concerns, shared their experiences, contacted decision-makers, and demanded better for Nebraska students helped make clear that these devices have no place in our schools.

Read our full statement for what's next and how you can stay involved: https://www.educationrightscounsel.org/news/a-win-for-collective-advocacy-but-the-work-to-protect-students-is-not-over

08/20/2026

Welcome back to school from all of us at Education Rights Counsel!

It’s the start of a new school year, and we want to remind students and their families that ERC is here to support you through it. Special education, student discipline or overall barriers to learning are all things we can help with. We are committed to ensuring all children receive the education they deserve.

If you're wondering whether your child is getting the schooling they’re entitled to, reach out to ERC. You don't have to navigate this alone.

08/19/2026

Raise the Bar is just a week away!
Join ERC on August 26 from 5–7 PM at Brickway Distillery for an evening of community and celebration. We’ll be honoring our 2026 Debora Basler Wisneski Inclusive Innovation in Education Award recipient, Kayla Dunlap. Support our mission by grabbing some exclusive RAYGUN merch or a pour of 504 Reserve Whiskey with proceeds supporting our work. We can’t wait to see you there!

Reserve your spot: https://educationrightscounsel.networkforgood.com/events/102404-2026-raise-the-bar

08/18/2026

A Lincoln Journal Star investigation found that Nebraska schools regularly place students with disabilities in isolated "seclusion rooms," sometimes hundreds of times for a single child, causing lasting trauma. It also found that weak reporting rules mean the true scope of this practice is likely undercounted. Nebraska is one of only three states that neither ban nor strictly restrict seclusion. Advocates, including ERC's own Elizabeth Eynon-Kokrda, are calling for a prohibition on seclusion and better support for educators to help struggling students.

https://www.educationrightscounsel.org/news/nebraska-schools-force-kids-into-seclusion-rooms-we-dont-know-how-often-its-happening