Priority Schools
The Nebraska Legislature provided the State Board of Education authority to designate Priority Schools in 2014 (Neb. Rev. Stat. §79-760.06-.07). Priority Schools are among the lowest performing schools and demonstrate the greatest need to increase capacity to implement, support, and sustain school improvement efforts. Priority Schools are the most intensive level of support.
Progress Plans
Each Priority School under AQuESTT, Nebraska’s accountability system for public schools and districts, is required to submit a Progress Plan for approval by the State Board of Education (79-760.07 R.R.S.) The purpose of the Progress Plan is to identify: goals and areas for growth and improvement; measurable indicators of progress; strategies and actions to achieve improvement; associated timelines and resources; and evidence to monitor progress. The Progress Plan will serve as the primary improvement plan for the Priority School and will also be part of the continuous improvement plan for the district in which the Priority School is located (92 NAC 10, Section 009.01B2).
Current Priority Schools
Schuyler Central High School serves the community of Schuyler and two other attendance centers in rural Colfax County. About 90% of students come from in town and the other 10% from rural Schuyler. During the 2017-18 school year, Schuyler’s students identified as 14% Caucasian, 82% Latino, and 4% of Native Americans, Asian-Americans and African-Americans. Schuyler Central High School is a school-wide Title I school and 81% of students receive free or reduced-priced lunch.
Santee Elementary, Middle, and High School
Santee Community School is a PK-12 public school district with 199 students. The district rests within the Santee Sioux Nation Reservation in Knox County in Northeast Nebraska. The school is located in the Village of Santee, south of the Missouri River. The Village has approximately 500 people. The student population is 88% Native American and 11% Hispanic, with a significant number of economically disadvantaged students.