NebraskaREADS
The NebraskaREADS initiative was created to serve the needs of students, educators, and parents along the journey to successful reading. The NebraskaREADS initiative supports the policies and practices outlined in the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act, which was enacted in 2018 and went into effect during the 2019-2020 school year. The law takes a comprehensive approach to improve the early literacy skills of Nebraska’s K-3 students. It emphasizes the importance of strong early reading instruction and individualized supports for students who are struggling. The Nebraska Reading Improvement Act values the need to implement, with fidelity, targeted interventions to bring all students to grade-level proficiency. The Nebraska State Board of Education supports and encourages systemic efforts to improve early literacy for all students as outlined in their Early Literacy Position Statement.
NebraskaREADS provides tools and resources to support high-quality literacy instruction for all Nebraska students. The initiative highlights policies, procedures, and practices that guide the selection and implementation of evidence-based literacy practices and interventions, and assists districts as they build family, school, and community partnerships to help students become successful readers, setting them up for learning, earning, and living.
Walk to Unlock Nebraska
Creativity is a necessity when working with youth. Walk 2 Unlock Nebraska allows classrooms and out-of-school clubs the opportunity to engage youth to learn about agriculture, nature, historical, and science-based content along one of four Nebraska trails. Two trails are currently open. The next two will be built over the 2023-2024 school year.
Walk 2 Unlock supports the whole child, working to provide activities to support body and mind. The program features an interactive map of Nebraska that allows users to track their locally achieved physical activity miles to make progress on virtual trails across the state. As students travel across the virtual trails, they will encounter checkpoints to learn more about the state through STEAM lessons appropriate for grades K-8th. Check out for Walk to Unlock Nebraska for more information.
Walk to Unlock Nebraska is a program of the Nebraska Department of Education Healthy Schools Program in partnership with Nebraska Farm Bureau Foundation’s Agriculture in the Classroom, Nebraska Game and Parks, Nebraska Tourism, Midwest Dairy, History Nebraska, and Nebraska Public Media.