August 2024
Nebraska Literacy Project
Staff from the Nebraska Department of Education presented details on the Nebraska Literacy Project aimed to improve literacy across the state.
Nebraska Literacy Project Presentation
State Board’s Legislative Priorities for 2025-27
In December 2022, the State Board established legislative priorities around six broad areas:
Priority 1: Increase Third Grade English Language Arts Proficiency to 75% by 2030
Priority 2: Halve the Gap in 8th Grade Math Achievement for Each Student Group by
2030.
Priority 3: Increase the Number of High School CTE Concentrators to 50%.
Priority 4: Reduce Chronic Absenteeism by Half by 2030.
Priority 5: For Youth who are Systems-Involved, Raise the High School Graduation Rate
and/or High School Equivalency Attainment to 70%.
Priority 6: Eliminate the Special Education Staffing Vacancy and Cut the Educator Shortage
in Half by 2030.
These priorities guide Department advocacy efforts, and align legislative positions to Board goals,
vision, and focus areas.
The revised document below narrows the focus from six priority areas to three, and focuses in on
legislative requests or considerations under each.
State Board Legislative Priorities
Step-Up-To-Quality Public Engagement Campaign
Step Up to Quality is Nebraska’s quality rating and improvement system for early childhood
education and care providers. It is jointly administered by the Nebraska Department of Education
(NDE) and the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). It not only
provides assistance to early childhood education and care providers, but it also provides assistance
to families looking for high quality early childhood education and care services for their young
children.
Step up to Quality will start a public engagement campaign with Emspace + Lovgren to spread awareness and education on the program.
College Pathway Program Act
The College Pathway Program Act is designed to provide grants to provide services to underrepresented and low-income students in high school and postsecondary education.
The program will provide assistance and tutorials which help students in completing applications for a college or university, including applying for aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or other scholarships; assistance and materials which help students take the appropriate high school classes in an area or field of study a student is interested in and any classes necessary for a student to gain acceptance at a postsecondary institution or complete the requirements and take the appropriate postsecondary education classes to receive an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree.
Homeless Student Support
Board members approved a contract with Central Plains of Nebraska for the costs of services provided to work with youth and young adults at risk of or experiencing homelessness in Nebraska. The contract is funded by federal supports from the American Rescue Plan.
Central Plains has been the sole statewide provider of transitional and independent living services for youth populations that include current and former foster care, homeless or near homeless, pregnant and/or parenting, and those at risk of or have experienced trafficking.
Homeless Students Support Contract
GEAR UP Program
GEAR UP is a grant program of the US Department of Education designed to increase the number of low-income students who are prepared to enter and succeed in postsecondary education.
Nebraska is one of the only states that has not accessed a statewide GEAR UP grant.
The NDE applied for $5 million per year, for the next seven years. As part of the application
process, the NDE was required to secure a dollar-for-dollar match from partners, meaning the total
potential impact is $70 million.
GEAR UP Awards
Statewide Assessment Standard Setting Results
Standard setting is the process by which achievement levels are established (i.e., developing, proficient, advanced). Nebraska educators work with a qualified outside agency to set cut scores.
Using the Achievement Level Descriptors, educators identified the skills and knowledge of the student emerging from developing and becoming proficient.
Model Policy for the Dress Code and Grooming for Schools
New legislation mandates the development of a model dress code and grooming policy by the State Department of Education for schools. The legislation specifies that by July 1, 2025, the school board of each district must adopt a written dress code and grooming policy consistent with the model policy created by the State Department of Education, to be implemented at the commencement of the 2025-26 school year.
Board members approved the model policy for districts.
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