State Board Celebrates 75th Anniversary of the GI Bill

This year marks the 75th signing anniversary of the WWII-era Servicemen’s Readjustment Act of 1944, also known as the GI Bill of Rights or “the GI Bill.” The State Board of Education adopted a resolution recognizing the importance of the GI Bill in providing equity to Nebraska veterans. The GI Bill has provided higher education and job training to millions of veterans and their dependents nationwide.

GI Bill Resolution

reVISION Grants

Board members approved ten reVISION Action grants for $542,084 to align and support Career and Technical Education (CTE) Systems with Nebraska’s Economic Initiatives, develop Nebraska’s talent pipelines for economic growth and workforce development, strengthen high school CTE programs, and create a common knowledge and skill “language” between local employers and education.

List of Schools Receiving reVISION Grants

Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grants

Nebraska schools will receive more than $2.2 million in federal funds for fresh fruits and vegetables. Money will be awarded to 111 schools through the Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Grant Award Program (FFVP). The FFVP has been a nationwide program since 2008 and operates in elementary schools in every state.

FFVP Nebraska Locations

Homeless Assistance Grants

Every state educational agency must ensure that each child who is homeless has equal access to the same free, public education, including a public preschool education, as other children.  With the approval of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance grants NDE will provide more than $360,500 to districts across the state to support and serve students who are homeless.

List of Schools Receiving McKinney-Vento Grants

Innovation Network Funds

The State Board approved the use of funds to create several Innovation Networks. The Innovation Grant Program was created with the passage of Legislative Bill 519 in 2015. The competitive grant program provided resources and opportunities to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and consortiums to support the development, expansion, and investment in innovative best practices. The grant projects ranged from personalized learning, career academies, after school design networks, and digital ecosystem development. The NDE will now establish a set of Education Innovation Networks to support statewide and district access and feature development. This Innovation Network supports NDE’s Commitment to Equity of “ensuring equity of access by supporting quality instructional materials.”  The Education Innovation Networks will provide an opportunity for interested districts to apply for future competitive grants.

Instructional Materials – Professional Learning Fellowship Innovation Network

Asynchronous Professional Learning Education Innovation Network

Equitable Software Access and Digital Resources Innovation Network

Nebraska Expanded Learning Opportunities (ELO) Innovation Network

Teacher of the Year Update

Nebraska’s 2019 Teacher of the Year Sydney Jensen presented an update on her busy year to the Board. Sydney had many opportunities to travel, including a trip to Washington D.C. where she visited the White House and met the President. She also had the opportunity to visit NASA’s Space Camp and has presented as Teacher of the Year at a number of different conferences in Nebraska, including NDE’s Agents of Change for Equity: A Virtual Conference Experience.