News Release

January 19, 2018

NEBRASKA RESPONDS TO ESSA FEEDBACK

The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) has responded to the initial feedback from the U.S. Department of Education on the state’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plan. The state submitted the original plan Sept. 22, 2017. The U.S. Department of Education requested additional or clarifying information as part of the approval process. The goal of the response is to clarify the requested requirements and show that Nebraska’s plan meets the guidelines outlined by law.

Throughout the process of writing Nebraska’s ESSA plan, the goal has been to maintain the state’s unique accountability system, AQuESTT; rely upon broad stakeholder feedback; and to align procedures outlined in the plan with the goals in NDE’s Strategic Vision and Direction.

“We believe the plan submitted to the U.S. Department of Education reflects these efforts to the best of our abilities, and represents a blueprint that will best serve Nebraska’s more than 318,000 students,” says Nebraska Commissioner of Education Matthew Blomstedt.

Federal officials will now review the responses and the amended plan.  The state hopes to receive approval of the ESSA plan in the next few weeks.

Nebraska’s revised ESSA state plan is available at the following link: https://www.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/AMENDED-ESSA-Plan-Nebraska-01_19_20181.pdf

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