Education Rights Counsel

Carrie Brooks contacted over ten attorneys in Nebraska looking for someone to help advocate for her son's educational rights. Every single one said no. Most of them represented schools.

Then one attorney suggested she call ERC. On that very first call, CEO Lauren Micek Vargas told Carrie they would help. "I just remember crying," Carrie says, "thinking, 'Thank goodness, someone finally hears me.'"

ERC helped Carrie's family build her son's IEP and Medical Plan. And when the plan was completed and implemented, Carrie asked the question that tells you everything about who she is: "How can I help other families who are struggling like we did?"

That's how she joined ERC's Parent Advisory Board. As Carrie puts it, "ERC changed our lives forever. My time and involvement is a small gift of appreciation."

No family should feel alone. That's why ERC exists, and that's why parent voices like Carrie's matter.

Visit EducationRightsCounsel.org to learn how we protect the right to learn for every child.

Olivia is a typical 8-year-old girl who loves the color purple, unicorns, and practicing the latest dance trends. Her energy keeps her parents on their toes. But at school, it was becoming a problem. Her grades were slipping.

When Olivia's teacher, Mr. Saldar, noticed that she couldn't stop wiggling one day, he asked her to walk an "important note" to the front office. The note wasn't actually important, but the walk to the office was exactly what Olivia needed in that moment.

Over time, Mr. Saldar noticed more things that seemed to challenge Olivia more than other students: working in groups, staying still during quiet times, focusing on classwork. He provided her with a fidget, continued to give her movement breaks, and adjusted her seating.

Then he talked to Olivia's parents. He told them he was happy to provide these supports in his classroom, but without a 504 plan, Olivia might not get the same accommodations the following year. The 504 plan, he explained, would make those supports a legal protection rather than optional.

Olivia's school team met and created a 504 plan. Her grades rebounded. Her confidence grew. And the supports that helped her thrive in Mr. Saldar's classroom now follow her, year after year.

Section 504 protections matter. Learn more at https://www.educationrightscounsel.org/news/202602-texas-v-kennedy.

Today, ERC honors those who made the ultimate sacrifice in the service of our country. We are deeply grateful for the men and women who dedicated their lives to protecting our freedom.

The ERC office is closed in observance of the holiday.

This week marks the anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, the 1954 Supreme Court decision that declared racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional.

The decision was a landmark achievement in the long fight for civil rights, won through decades of legal strategy and grassroots organizing led by Black families, lawyers, and activists.

At Education Rights Counsel, this anniversary is personal. As the state's only legal nonprofit dedicated to education law, we know affirming a right on paper and making that right real in a child's life are two different things. That gap is where Education Rights Counsel works, every day in classrooms and hearings across Nebraska.

Brown v. Board reminds us that legal change is essential and that the work of equity is ongoing. When families and students are heard, when systems are made navigable and transparent, when advocacy moves from insight to action, that's when meaningful change takes hold.

History isn't just something we study. It's something we continue to shape together.

Upcoming changes in education policy

A few notable changes to Option Enrollment and Too Young To Suspend were enacted during the 2026 legislative session that will have a direct education impact on families.

For more, read the full update at https://www.EducationRightsCounsel.org/News/Upcoming-Ed-Policy.

ERC turns education law, policy, and procedures into plain language that you can use. If you have any questions about these or other legislative or policy changes, request a consult at https://www.EducationRightsCounsel.org/Contact

At Education Rights Counsel, we work alongside families navigating some of the most difficult moments of their child's school experience. We see students who need more support, clearer plans, different strategies, or simply a school team willing to look at the whole child. And we also see what becomes possible when the right people come together around what a student actually needs. Throughout the year, educators were foundational to our support.

Now, we invite nominations for the 2026 Debora Basler Wisneski Inclusive Innovation in Education Award.

Read the full letter at https://www.EducationRightsCounsel.org/News/202605-CEO-Letter

Schools may break for summer. Special education timelines do not.

The school year is winding down, but the law doesn't take a break. If your child is in the process of being evaluated, summer is the perfect time to keep the work going.

Completing your child's evaluation over the summer means accommodations and services can be in place in the fall. That lets your child start the school year strong.

If you're navigating a special education evaluation and have questions, ERC is here to help. Visit EducationRightsCounsel.org or call 402.263.6200.

Congratulations to our CEO, Lauren Micek Vargas, recipient of the Evelyn E. Labode Service to Youth Award from the Nebraska Juvenile Justice Association.

The award honors the legacy of Evelyn Labode, a Nebraska civil rights advocate and attorney who spent her career working to ensure that children, especially children from minority communities, receive the full legal protections they're owed.

The award was presented at the NJJA's 2026 Annual Conference, where our team was proud to be part of the conversation. Our staff spent both days connecting with juvenile justice professionals from across Nebraska at our exhibitor table and in breakout sessions. We also presented "Know Your Rights: Empowering Juveniles to Navigate Education Systems" to an audience of more than 60, with one attendee calling it "Fantastic. Very informative and engaging." The experience reinforced how deeply education advocacy and juvenile justice are intertwined and how much more is possible when both fields work together.

NOMINATE AN EDUCATOR

We're looking for bold, compassionate Nebraska educators who build belonging through innovation in the classroom and beyond.

Submit your nominations for the 2026 Debora Basler Wisneski Inclusive Innovation in Education Award by June 15th at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdXu8v7ziPqfI6rtKJx7qQcxgnK1ItAgl3YfzSezybJ4yHYGg/viewform.

The winner will be honored at ERC's Raise the Bar event on August 26, 2026.

To all the moms showing up to protect their child's right to learn: we see you.

We see you in the meetings that ran long, writing an email to the school at midnight, reading the draft IEP again to make sure it meets your child's needs.

To the mothers, grandmothers, stepmothers, aunts, foster and adoptive moms, and every other mother-figure doing the work: thank you. Your child's education is built on what you carry. Because of you, your child can learn, grow, and thrive.

Happy Mother's Day.

Great advocacy for children happens when organizations that serve the same families collaborate.

Last week, our team provided education rights training to PTI Nebraska, a nonprofit dedicated to peer to peer support for families of children disabilities and special health care needs.

By working with other organizations, we strengthen the systems that our community depends on to help every child thrive.