The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced its 2019-20 Board of Directors this week, following elections at the 2019 Annual Policy Forum in Atlanta, GA. Jillian Balow, Superintendent of Public Instruction in Wyoming, assumed the presidency and Matthew L. Blomstedt, Nebraska Commissioner of Education, was chosen as president-elect....
Every year Veterans Day provides an opportunity for Americans to honor the men and women who have served in our armed forces. There are parades and assemblies throughout the country and in communities across Nebraska. While these events provide a worthy outlet to show veterans our gratitude and respect, there...
Step Up to Quality is celebrating its five-year anniversary this year, a milestone in Nebraska’s commitment to quality early childhood education. High-quality child care and early childhood education is important for our state’s future. As Nebraska’s QRIS (Quality Rating and Improvement System), Step Up to Quality supports early child care...
The Nebraska Department of Education is requesting proposals for the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) 2020 grant competition. Approximately $500,000 is available to successful Nebraska applicants who offer services to eligible school buildings where at least 40 percent of students qualify for free or reduced priced meals as...
The U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools program is seeking nominations for its 2019-2020 awards. The deadline for submitting applications is January 24, 2020. The purpose of the Green Ribbon Schools program is to inspire schools, districts, and institutions of higher education (IHE) to strive for 21st-century excellence by...
Nebraska’s 2019 fourth- and eighth-graders scored higher than the national average and higher than most other states across the country in math and reading scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). The NAEP math assessment measures both mathematics knowledge and students’ ability to apply their knowledge in problem-solving...
Nebraska achievement levels remained steady and on pace with the national average on the ACT entrance exam that measures college readiness in English, reading, mathematics, and science. For the second year, nearly 100% of Nebraska graduates took the ACT as part of the statewide assessment system. Nebraska’s average 2019 ACT...
As a middle school science and English teacher at St. Patrick Catholic School in Lincoln, NE, Lyndsay Hartmann is juggling a lot of balls, sometimes literally. Doing whatever it takes to focus students' attention, Hartmann juggles during her science class to teach students about changing states of energy. And it's...
A recording of the Commissioner's press conference is available online: https://www.education.ne.gov/mediakit/ Accountability results released today include a new level of support for Nebraska schools and districts focused on equity. The Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) designation allows the state to focus resources and support in schools that need it most....
Photos are available using the following link. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/14Ffpr7kGzfaF5kykiy_ZEciEO-ZbHXFF?usp=sharing Five Nebraska VR partners received awards for their role in creating inclusive workplaces and advocacy for disability employment during a ceremony October 8th at the Nebraska State Capitol. The 2019 Disability Employment and Inclusion Awards highlight the successful partnership between Nebraska...
Nebraska Teacher of the Year and Awards of Excellence winners photos are available using the following link. https://drive.google.com/open?id=1V9cHBArt5ROS2v5oXy36xm0-SHJNs_9t Megan Helberg, an English teacher at Burwell Junior/Senior High School in Burwell, was named the Nebraska 2020 Teacher of the Year today during a surprise award presentation. Nebraska Commissioner of Education...
Nebraska VR today announced its participation in National Disability Employment Awareness Month, an annual awareness campaign that takes place each October. The purpose of National Disability Employment Awareness Month is to educate the public about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities....
The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) has awarded mini-grants for Nebraska Thursdays, a program that supports schools statewide in serving and promoting locally-grown or locally-produced foods in school cafeterias on the first Thursday of each month. Funded by the Nebraska Dry Bean Commission, 11 schools were awarded a total of...
Six Nebraska schools have been named as National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2019. The recognition is based on a school’s overall academic performance or progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups. The U.S. Department of Education recognized the six Nebraska schools for demonstrating that all students can achieve to...
The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) has begun its annual statewide selection process. Two Nebraska students will join 102 other delegates March 7-14, 2020 for the program’s 58th annual Washington Week. More than 5,500 students have participated in this extremely competitive merit-based leadership program which brings two students from...
