The Nebraska Literacy Project

The Commissioner presented details on the Nebraska Literacy Project to the State Board of Education.

Nebraska Statute requires the NDE to develop and implement a professional learning system regarding evidence-based reading instruction for teachers who teach children from four years of age through third grade at an approved or accredited school and teachers employed by an early childhood education program approved by the State Board of Education.

The Nebraska Literacy Project includes one vision, with three goals, accomplished through five
tenets.
• Vision: To foster a culture of proficient and lifelong readers in Nebraska and unlock student
potential for learning, earning, and living through a focus on evidence-based reading instruction.
• Goals:
1. Increase third grade proficiency on NSCAS ELA from 62% to 75% by 2030.
2. Increase the % of K-3 Nebraska students who meet the Nebraska Reading Improvement
Act approved assessment thresholds.
3. Ensure 100% of Nebraska educator preparation programs are implementing evidence-
based instruction for teachers grounded in the science of reading.
• Tenets:
1. Provide a system of professional learning in evidence-based reading instruction.
2. Support sustained implementation of curriculum, instruction, and materials aligned with
evidence-based reading instruction for elementary English Language Arts.

3. Develop regional literacy coaches to provide job-embedded training and support for
evidence-based reading instruction.
4. Ensure appropriate collections of data to measure effectiveness of the professional
learning system and implementation of evidence-based reading instruction.
5. Work with local family literacy centers to strengthen home and family literacy programs.

Nebraska Literacy Project

Board Member Jacquelyn Morrison Resignation

Board member Jacquelyn Morrison of Omaha submitted her resignation Sept. 6, after the board’s August meeting. The board accepted her resignation at the October meeting.

Morrison was elected to the board in 2020 and represented District 4, consisting of eastern Douglas County. The District 4 seat is up for election in November.  Morrison was not seeking reelection.

According to state statute, the Governor has 45 days to appoint someone to fill the rest of Morrison’s term, ending Dec. 31.

Dyslexia Research Grant

Legislation passed in 2024 requires the Nebraska Department of Education to create and administer the Dyslexia Research Grant Program.  Eligible applicants included privately owned businesses based in Nebraska that are in the process of researching artificial- intelligence-based writing assistance that can be used to assist individuals with dyslexia.
The  Dyslexia Research Grants are funded up to $500,000 from the Education Future Fund.
The application was opened on August 9, 2024 and were due September 6, 2024.  One application was received, from Dyslexico in Omaha. The board approved a grant of $499,985.12.

Dyslexia Research Grant

Improving Adolescent Health and Well-Being Through School-Based Surveillance Grant

The NDE has been awarded a five-year grant to implement the Improving Adolescent Health and Well-Being Through School-Based Surveillance program. This funding will be instrumental in assessing the well-being needs of Nebraska’s youth through the Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBS) and School Health Profiles (SHP). The goal is to identify and enhance programs and resources that schools can utilize to mitigate common risk factors.

The initiative will focus on monitoring and addressing health-related behaviors that contribute to the leading risk behaviors, creating higher death and disability among youth and adults. Key areas of focus include behaviors that contribute to unintentional injuries and violence, alcohol and drug use, tobacco use, unhealthy dietary behaviors, and inadequate physical activity, and mental health status.

The survey implementation will begin during the 2025-2026 school year.

CDC Improving Nebraska Adolescent Health and Well-Being

Competitive Grants for State Assessments

The purpose of the Competitive Grants for State Assessments (CGSA program is to enhance the quality of assessment instruments and assessment systems used by States for measuring the academic achievement of elementary and secondary school students.

On September 4, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education publicly announced that the NDE would be awarded $2.7 million for the Enhancing the Instructional Value of Statewide Assessments: Coherence and Alignment for Educators and Families (CAEF) Grant.

The grant project aims to improve the usability of Nebraska’s through-year statewide assessment
reporting system. The project is designed to improve the instructional utility of Nebraska’s
statewide assessment system by enhancing the accessibility and usability of assessment data for
educators and families. It includes developing user-friendly score reporting templates, refining
assessment items, and building capacity through professional learning opportunities.

CAEF-CGSA Grant