Federal Programs

ESSA Amendment Public Comment

Consistent with the consolidated assurances from June 2017 under ESEA section 8304, the Nebraska Department of Education is seeking public input on the draft amendment to the state’s ESSA plan. The plan has six sections, all of which required significant revisions:

  1. Long Term Goals – Outlines targets for English language arts, math, science, and graduation rate. This section underwent a complete overhaul due to shifts in our state’s assessment cut scores in August 2023.
  2. Consultation and Performance Management – Details the stakeholder input to date and how the NDE supports and monitors districts.
  3. Academic Assessments – Shares information on Nebraska’s Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS)
  4. Accountability and Support for Improvement of Schools – Aligns federal requirements to the state’s accountability system, AQuESTT. Outlines indicators of school success, and support structures for schools needing different levels of improvement. This section is identical to the one approved by USDOE in November 2023.
  5. Supporting Effective Educators – Provides details on the state’s plan to support effective educators for all students through recruitment, retention, and training efforts. Section 5 underwent a complete overhaul.
  6. Supporting All Students – Describes Nebraska’s plan to support specific students, like those learning English, homeless or migrant youth, and those living in rural areas or on Native Lands. This section was completely revised.

The amendment can be found by clicking this ESSA DRAFT AMENDMENT link. After reviewing, please submit any feedback to nde.ESSA@nebraska.gov. Public comment will end March 11, 2024. You may reach out to Lane Carr with any questions – lane.carr@nebraska.gov

Find the latest time sensitive information here

Mark Your Calendars for Upcoming Federal Programs Team Office Hours via Zoom!
10:00 – 11:00 AM (CST)
 Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://zoom.us/j/4024712452 Meeting ID:  402 471 2452
Or Telephone: US: +1 346 248 7799  Webinar ID: 402 471 2452#

Nebraska’s 2023 National ESEA Distinguished Schools Recipients
Two Nebraska schools are among 65 across the U.S. that have been named 2023 National ESEA Distinguished Schools for the extraordinary success of their students.
NDE News Release

Ralston Public School - Seymour

Wisner-Pilger Elementary School

Welcome to the Nebraska Department of Education’s Federal Programs web page.

Below are the resources and services our division provides to Schools, Administrators, Teachers, and the Public from all over Nebraska.

Federal Programs

Education is primarily a State and local responsibility in the United States. It is States and communities, as well as public and private organizations of all kinds, that establish schools and colleges, develop curricula, and determine requirements for enrollment and graduation. These federal programs assist in completing the educational goals of our students.

The GMS is a web-based system used by the Department for processing various grants and plans. The system supports application submissions, amendments, and approval as well as the issuance of grant award notifications. The system also supports the processing of payments against grant awards through reimbursement requests.
Its purposes are to provide:

  1. districts an easy to use mechanism with a common look and feel originating from various sources
  2. quick response time between the Department and districts
  3. real time financial representation.

A majority of grants continue to be placed on the GMS which has become the principal method for processing Department issued grants.

NEW GMS Canvas Hub
Newly developed Canvas modules to support K-12 Public District and Non-Public School superintendents, business managers, and others who work in GMS. The modules cover various GMS topics and helpful tips to navigate through GMS in any order and at your own pace. The Grant Management System (GMS) Canvas Hub can be found on the NDE Canvas site.

Updated March 13, 2024 4:13pm