Interim Programs, Rule 18
On December 29, 2003, Governor Johanns signed Rule 18: Regulations and Procedures for the Approval of Interim-Program Schools in County Detention Homes, Institutions, and Juvenile Emergency Shelters. The Nebraska Department of Education Rule 18 establishes the minimum educational staffing, programs and educational services that must be provided by Interim-Program Schools to make them eligible to receive reimbursement by the State Office of Health and Human Services System (HHSS) beginning with the 2004-05 school year. It further establishes requirements of public schools to work cooperatively and effectively with the Interim-Program Schools to insure students are provided with the real opportunity to make appropriate advancement toward graduation.
Rule 18 was developed over a multiple-year period by an interagency task force representing different state and federal programs, and with the advice and consultation of representatives of many of the schools affected. Rule 18 is intended to do two things. One is to establish certain standards of interim-program schools in order to insure public schools may have confidence in awarding academic credit for work accomplished by students while on the premises or interim-program schools. Second, the rule is intended to provide assurance to the students in interim-program schools that their academic work will be honored by the public schools to which the student will return.