A Chicago study of 13,000 students by David Kerbow found that the more elementary students change schools, the more they fall behind academically; four or more times is equivalent to being a grade behind. The Education Rights Counsel works to ensure that students can remain in their same school, among plenty of other noble pursuits.

This year, the Education Rights Counsel is the recipient of the Robert M. Spire Public Service Award. Granted to those who, through their effort, have both “significantly enhanced the public's knowledge of the law or legal system and have demonstrated a long-term commitment to that enhancement, as well as providing a focused service to the community for purposes other than pecuniary profits.”

When heading into Lola’s Cafe to meet with the CEO of the Education Rights Counsel, Lauren Micek Vargas, I found her engaged heartily in conversation with other patrons, a genuine and warm smile on her face. Waving me over, we slid easily into the interview.

Lauren had started as a special-education teacher in New York, who later became a public defender and witnessed, “the child-to-prison-pipeline,” and then met Elizabeth Eynon-Kokrda. The ERC was founded in 2017 after they had realized they shared the same dream, “to create systemic change by removing barriers to educational equity.”

“It is important for us to look more systematically,” Lauren began passionately, “-how to think outside the box. No one is doing what we are doing across the nation. We are getting kids out of the system faster.” She spoke so passionately about how the ERC confers with medical professionals at the renowned Children's Hospital to help develop plans for struggling kids, and how, due to the efforts of the ERC, one such little girl received a plan and is now performing excellently in school. “We at the ERC create plans for stability and continuity.”

The National Library of Medicine reports that about 20% of children between the ages of 3 and 17 have some sort of mental, behavioral, emotional, or developmental disorder, and half of those children will never receive the necessary support. The CDC and Michigan Medicine go on to say that the lack of diagnosis and treatment significantly impedes a child’s development and ability to learn. Unaided children will tragically suffer much more hardship in their lives, and thus the “child-to-prison-pipeline,” something that, with focused effort, can be avoided.

Lauren spoke then about “brain-drain,” how children from wealthier families are more likely to be able to move away from a city or state as local circumstances change.

“The kids we are working with are the ones who are going to stay in the community.”  

Most admirably, the Education Rights Counsel provides pro bono services to families in poverty and will even pay other lawyers low-bono rates to aid clients.

And, unfortunately, they receive no funding from the federal or state governments. The only money they receive is through kind individuals or through contracts. Nobly, the ERC works to deal with the following claims: special education, Title IX sexual assault, Americans with Disabilities Act, abuse and neglect, and those related to the First Amendment.

“We are always at capacity," Lauren admitted, and went on to speak about how the ERC has a consulting phone line that gets about 700 calls per year. More funding would mean more children would get the legal and health representation to not only stay in school, but to thrive. Such a thing only aids the prosperity of a community: right now, that community is ours – here in Nebraska. An increase in children getting the help they need only lowers the future burden of the government by increasing the stability of the community. If under a certain poverty threshold through the ERC, “Families can get vigorous and free counsel.” Her words were given with some fervor.

In our conversation, when we touched briefly on the Robert M. Spire Public Service Award that the Education Rights Counsel received, Lauren beamed so earnestly as she spoke, her deserved pride was reflected well through the cafe’s windows by the morning sun.

“This award means so much, because it’s coming from fellow attorneys.”

In closing, the ERC website provides us exactly what they stand for:

“The Education Rights Counsel believes in all children, and champions every child’s right to stay in school, make appropriate progress, and meet challenging objectives.”