Teacher of the Year Nominations

Nebraska has amazing teachers and being able to recognize their excellence is one of the highlights of the year. The Nebraska Department of Education is proud to provide an opportunity to recognize the best teachers in the state through the Nebraska Teacher of the Year Program. NDE staff launched nominations for the 2026 Teacher of the Year. Anyone can nominate a teacher online at education.ne.gov by filling out a nomination form.

Teacher of the Year Nomination

Appointment of Deputy Commissioner

The Nebraska State Board of Education has appointed Dr. Jane Stavem as a Deputy Commissioner of Education. The decision comes after a nationwide search process. As deputy commissioner, Dr. Stavem will provide leadership and guidance for the day-to-day operations of the NDE, provide agency-wide administrative support to the Commissioner, and manage the Agency Support and Services division.

Dr. Stavem is currently the superintendent for the Sioux Falls School District in South Dakota. She previously served as superintendent at Lake Washington School District in Redmond, Washington, associate superintendent for instruction in Lincoln Public Schools, and superintendent of Blair Community Schools, both in Nebraska.

Dr. Stavem is expected to start as Deputy Commissioner after July 1, 2025.

Deputy Commissioner News Release

Youth Tobacco Grant

Board member voted to accept a grant that will support a fulltime position to manage and coordinate the youth tobacco prevention programs and resources. The program will work to educate school staff, parents, and youth on the negative impact of tobacco and offer prevention resources. This position is also
responsible for assisting with the development of grant activities and leading implementation to assure all program goals and objectives are met.

Stronger Connections Technical Assistance and Capacity Building Grant Program

NDE will work with high-need school districts within ESU 13 and other rural school districts to address chronic absenteeism and increase student engagement. The project is designed to promote safer, and positive school environments that increase student engagement through education, training, and the distribution of resources proven to build relationships while increasing student academic success.

Additionally, this project will address teacher retention efforts by working to support educator and school staff well-being by implementing training and providing resources to rural high-risk areas that promote and support positive school climate strategies.

Farm to School and Walk to Unlock Expansion

This grant project builds upon already existing programs, Walk to Unlock and Harvest of the Month. NDE has dedicated staff and support for managing these programs and will utilize an existing Farm to School network with other agencies like the Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation and UNL Extension to provide support for project development, alignment with other statewide efforts, promote literacy connections within these programs for educators and families. Grant funds will be utilized to expand existing program resources to effectively meet the needs of educators, parents, and out of school time professionals across the state.