Milken Educator Presentation

Nebraska’s 2019 Milken Educator Award winner Lyndsay Hartmann gave a presentation to the board on what the award means to her and what her plans are for the coming year. Hartmann teaches reading, English, and science in grades 6-8 at St. Patrick Catholic School in Lincoln. She was presented with the Milken Educator Award in October for her outstanding dedication to her students and fellow teachers.

Milken Educator Award News Release

Board Awards Grants to Several Programs

Board members voted to award a series of grants to fund programs covering a wide range of topics from nutrition to reading. The State Board voted to grant the Commissioner the authority to renew the Nebraska Children and Families Foundation grant for the Nurturing Healthy Behaviors program to expand programs and services for early childhood mental health. The State Board also granted authority to apply for the USDA Farm to School grant to increase healthy, local foods in schools.

The Commissioner was also granted the authority to contract with the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska to conduct a standard-setting study for selected reading assessments as required by the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act and the authority to contract with Kuder, Inc. to provide Nebraska Career Connections to Nebraska school districts.

Nebraska Children and Families Foundation for the Nurturing Healthy Behaviors

USDA Farm to School

Nebraska Reading Improvement Act

Nebraska Career Connections

Nebraska Statewide Assessment and Reporting Plan

The State Board is required to adopt a plan for an assessment and reporting system annually and submit that plan to the Governor, Clerk of the Legislature, and Chair of the Education Committee. Board members approved the plan to continue the College and Career Ready Standards. The plan includes one change; in 2020 NSCAS-General and NSCAS-Alternate Science will be field tested only. Field tests are common processes used to assure that future tests are technically sound and of high quality. Results for students, schools, and districts are not made public during a field test. NDE received a waiver from the testing and reporting requirement from the U.S .Department of Education for the 2019-2020 school year.

Statewide Assessment and Reporting Plan

Revised Community Achievement Plan

In 2016 districts in the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties collaboratively developed a Community Achievement Plan (CAP). The CAP was reviewed and revised in consultation with the superintendents of the Learning Community, the Learning Community Coordinating Council, the Student Achievement Coordinator at the Nebraska Department of Education, and State Board of Education committees. Board members voted to approve a revision to the plan for 2018-2022.

Community Achievement Plan (CAP) of the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties

Educator Flight

State Board of Education members flew in a Blackhawk helicopter as part of the Educator Flight event on September 4, 2019 to promote the partnership between schools and the National Guard. Major Jocelyn Kuta from the Nebraska Army National Guard Recruiting and Retention Battalion presented board members with a photo from their trip at the board meeting.