Nebraska State Board of Education previews literacy and firearms p
LINCOLN — Much of the Nebraska State Board of Education’s Friday meeting focused on improving student literacy.
The committee, meeting in Grand Island, also accepted the resignation of state committee member Jacquelyn Morrison of Omaha, who has represented District 4 since 2021.
Nebraska Education Commissioner Brian Maher read a book to a group of mostly 3-year-olds on Monday as he and others launched a statewide project to improve reading in preschoolers Skill. The kickoff ceremony will be held on October 30, 2023 at the Omaha Education Center, 3110 West Street, Indian Hill.
Education Commissioner Brian Maher previews updates to the Nebraska Literacy Project, a program designed to improve student literacy that will be used to full board Approved in December.
At that time, the board will also consider adopting a model policy that would allow authorized school security officers to carry firearms in the state’s smallest public school districts.
Nebraska Literacy Project
The board has made improving student literacy a top priority, specifically increasing third-grade student proficiency on state assessments to 75 percent by 2030. degree. Formal statewide testing results are expected next month.
In unveiling the 24-page updated literacy plan, Maher said the department’s vision is to “foster a culture of proficiency and lifelong reading in Nebraska and unlock student learning, earnings and growth through a focus on evidence-based reading instruction.” life potential.
Under the proposed plan, state boards and departments would address five principles:
Professional development based on the science of reading. Curriculum and teacher preparation are aligned with evidence-based reading instruction. Hire regional literacy coaches throughout the state in coordination with educational service units. Collect data to track the effectiveness of such interventions. Family literacy programs and preschool education.
Nebraska Department of Education releases first report on dyslexia and reading
Funding for these steps will include reallocating approximately $6 million in COVID-19 pandemic relief funds to Reading. This spring, the Legislature provided $6 million in other investments over three years for literacy coaches and other professional development, and the federal government provided $55 million specifically to improve literacy programs in Nebraska.
Maher said the increase in resources did not change the 75% literacy goal, although he told the board the department internally hopes to reach it by 2027.
“If we can do this, I wonder what we can accomplish by 2030,” Maher said.
The plan consists of three phases: reviewing current practices, deploying professional learning and infrastructure across the state, and ensuring program sustainability.
“Go the extra mile” to support students
Lincoln board member Patsy Koch Johns said she appreciates Maher for keeping the plan simple and student-centered, viewing it as “a bright light in front of us.”
The Nebraska State Board of Education meets on Friday, March 8, 2024 in Lincoln. (Screenshot of live conference broadcast by Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
Board member Lisa Fricke of Omaha thanks state Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn and former state Sen. Patty Pansing of Lincoln · Patty Pansing Brooks’ 2017 reading tour in K-12 classrooms with a focus on literacy.
Board President Elizabeth Tegtmeier designated October as Dyslexia Awareness Month, consistent with state leaders prioritizing literacy and dyslexia issues in recent years.
“I know that if we continue to prioritize literacy and raise awareness of dyslexia year-round, we will remove barriers for all Nebraska students,” Tagtmeier said.
The board also awarded nearly $500,000 to an Omaha-based company founded at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln: dyslexia. The company is researching and leveraging artificial intelligence to create writing assistance models to help students with dyslexia. The grant comes from legislation Linehan sponsored this year.
Tagtmeier said the state is “very close” to being able to help more students. Koch-Johns agreed, saying experts and families have been asking the board to “double its efforts.”
“We’ve been tiptoeing around this for a long time, so it’s nice to put our feet on the ground and say, ‘We’re going to do this,'” Koch-Johns said.
Model Safe Gun Policy
This spring, state lawmakers voted to allow the state’s smallest school districts, those with fewer than 5,000 residents, to authorize selected school security officers to carry firearms.
On April 25, 2023, Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen signed state Senator Tom Brewer’s proposal to allow Concealed carry of a handgun. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
The law was introduced by state Sen. Tom Brewer of north-central Nebraska and incorporated into Legislative Bill No. 1329authorizes Title I and II public school districts and nonpublic schools to develop such policies. The state board is responsible for drafting a “model policy” that schools can use as a starting point but do not need to be accompanied by a companion.
Lincoln Public Schools is a Level IV school district, while Omaha Public Schools is a Level V school district. There are 243 other public school districts in Nebraska, currently All classified as Category III Until January 1st.
A draft statewide policy developed in partnership with the Nebraska State Patrol would require eligible school employees to:
Through a background check. Possess a valid concealed carry permit. Obtain three letters of recommendation. Complete a mental health screening and consult a psychologist. Complete 20 hours of training including safe firearms handling, basic medical first aid and CPR, adolescent behavior and adolescent brain development, security officer ethics, student rights, conflict de-escalation techniques, trauma-informed responses and implicit bias training. Subsequent years required four hours of training.
Under the policy, guns can only be stored in biometric safes on campus that are not directly visible. Handguns need to be stowed and concealed at all times except during an active threat and should never be put down or unattended.
Approved employees likewise need to understand the appropriate use of force and know that they are not authorized to act in the same capacity as local law enforcement. They are required to notify law enforcement of their work location and position.
Grand Island board member Shirley Jones said the policy is similar to gun requirements for school resource officers or general concealed carry permit holders.
Board Vice Chair and board member Deb Neary of Omaha thanked department staff for their attention in drafting the policy.
Morrison resigns
Current state Board of Education member Jacquelyn Morrison of Omaha was elected to the Board of Education in 2020. (Photo of Morrison provided by the Nebraska Department of Education; school bus photo by Rebecca Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)
The state parliament voted 6-0 to accept Morrison’s resignation. Morrison did not attend and did not publicly state the reasons for her resignation. Board member Kirk Penner also was not present for the vote.
Morrison submitted his resignation on Sept. 6 after the board’s most recent meeting, according to a spokesperson for the Nebraska Department of Education.
Under state law, Gov. Jim Pillen will have 45 days to name a successor “unless there is good cause to show that this requirement creates an undue burden.”
Morrison has chosen not to seek re-election, as have all three other board members whose seats have risen this election cycle. Two candidates are vying for the Douglas County seat east of Morrison:
LeDonna White White Griffinis a former teacher and principal of Omaha Public Schools and the CEO of Legend Leadership Academy, which supports families in private and home school settings.
Liz Rennera documentary filmmaker and communications professional.
The state board will hold its final meeting of the year on Dec. 6 in Lincoln.
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