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The Right to Education Project supports North Carolina children and families with the following issue areas at school: (1) enrollment and access, (2) long-term suspension, expulsion, and alternative school placements, (3) special education and disability-related needs, and (4) discrimination and harassment. You can contact us through the Legal Aid Helpline listed below.
Before calling our Helpline, we strongly recommend going to the Resources section below, clicking on the Issue Area that you will be calling about, and (1) trying out the suggested advocacy strategies listed, (2) reading the Advocacy Toolkits and (3) watching the videos. Our team has limited capacity to take on individual cases, so each ‘Issue Area’ page provides strategies to support your child that you can do without a lawyer.
Legal Aid NC Helpline
Toll-Free: 1 (866) 219-LANC (5262)
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday – Friday
5:30 PM – 8:30 PM, Monday & Thursday
Apply for free help with civil (non-criminal) legal issues. Those 60 and older should call the Senior Helpline.
Know Your Rights Online Workshops

In addition to the Resources on this page, the Right to Education Project also conducts online workshops (also called clinics) on many issue areas, including those that we cannot provide individual representation on such as short-term suspensions and bullying. During these trainings, we will provide a general overview of your rights related to these topics and answer general questions. Look under Legal Aid NC Events below for our upcoming events and look under Videos for recordings of previous sessions.
Resources
Resources
Projects
If you call Legal Aid of North Carolina for an education related issue, you will be connected to the Right to Education Project. In addition to providing Direct Advocacy, we also engage with our community’s education-related needs through Community Education and Community Lawyering.

Right to Education Project
The Right to Education Project (REP) is the statewide education justice project of Legal Aid of North Carolina that fights for students in the public education system to get access…
Videos
Videos

Creative Strategies to Combat School Discipline

Legal & Restorative Strategies to Address Bullying

Understanding MTSS and how it can support your student

Zealous Advocacy in Special Education

Parent Power 101

Overcoming Barriers to School Enrollment

NC Extra Credit Grant: Get $335 for virtual schooling and childcare costs

About The Child's Advocate

Conozca Sus derechos de Educación Especial en las Escuelas Públicas de NC durante Coronavirus

Know Your Rights in North Carolina Public Schools during Coronavirus

Know Your Special Education Rights in North Carolina Public Schools during Coronavirus

Conozca Sus Derechos en las Escuelas Públicas de Carolina del Norte durante Coronavirus

Coronavirus & Public Schools in North Carolina

Coronavirus and Schools: For Guardians ad Litem

Making a Difference in Children's Lives

Ruth & Advocates for Children's Services

Ruth & The Child's Advocate

Ruth & Education

Know your rights and remedies in public schools
News
Right to Education Project files federal racial-discrimination complaint against Davidson County Schools
DAVIDSON COUNTY – Our Right to Education Project filed a federal complaint today with the…

Deadline extended for Extra Credit Grant program
Complaints resolved against Guilford, Vance schools
RALEIGH—Legal Aid of North Carolina’s systemic state complaints against Guilford County Schools and Vance County…
Education denied to students with disabilities in adult jails
RALEIGH—Prompted by complaints filed by our Advocates for Children’s Services project, the North Carolina Department…
Agreement reached to address discriminatory discipline in Durham Public Schools
Black children and children with disabilities at center of complaint DURHAM | Feb. 22, 2018…
New Wake County suspension data reveals lower overall rates, but significant disparities remain
RALEIGH, N.C., December 9, 2014 – Out-of-school suspensions in the Wake County Public School System…
N.C. youth advocates urge U.S. Department of Education to address continued discriminatory discipline practices in Wake County schools
RALEIGH, January 5, 2017 – Legal Aid of North Carolina’s Advocates for Children’s Services project joined…
Shaw University to change discriminatory policies for disabled students
RALEIGH, July 14, 2015 – Shaw University will revise its discriminatory policies and procedures for…
Wake Co. schools routinely violate rights of students with mental health disabilities
RALEIGH · July 25, 2018 – Attorneys with Advocates for Children’s Services, a project of…
Events