Spring State Board of Education Update

By Elizabeth Tegtmeier

State Board of Education District 7 Representative

This spring the Nebraska State Board of Education considered a motion by Kirk Penner to prohibit books with sexually explicit content in school libraries. This measure would have aligned print materials with the Child Internet Protection Act (CIPA) which prevents the same content from being accessed on the internet. I received 132 in support of the motion and 13 emails against it. Public comment at the March 2023 meeting was 22 in support of the motion and 9 against it. The motion failed on a 3-5 vote. I was in the minority along with Member Penner and Jones.

All state standards are reviewed on a seven-year cycle. Currently, the science standards are under review. Members of the public can access the proposed changes and offer feedback on the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) website through the end of May.

Standards, developed by Nebraska classroom teachers, are the basis for the statewide assessment. Schools have the option of assessing students’ formative development throughout the school year in addition to the federally required spring summative assessment. NDE staff are working with the assessment system vendor to improve the quality of testing feedback and accelerate the return of results so schools can use them to inform classroom instruction.

Due to filing and notification issues originating with the NDE, exempt school filers will notice changes to the filing system for the 2024-25 school year. As a result of LB1027, the online system, opening June 3, is designed to be more user friendly and generate an instant acknowledgment of the filing eliminating the wait experienced in past years.

While my testimony to the Legislative Education Committee was on my behalf as a homeschool parent, I was able to share first-hand experience with NDE staff, the Commissioner, and fellow board members as I advocated for beneficial changes and the elimination of procedural policies that have never been invoked in forty years of exempt schools being legal in Nebraska.

In reaction to a Nebraska school district cutting the hair of two Native American children, the legislature passed LB298 in 2023 requiring the NDE to establish a model dress code and grooming policy. A draft of the policy was presented to the board with action expected by the August meeting. All school districts will be required to adopt a written dress code and grooming policy by July 1, 2025.

Nominations for the 2025 Nebraska Teacher of the Year are being accepted until July. Last year NDE received 89 nominations. Please consider what outstanding current classroom teacher you can nominate. Online forms are available on the NDE website.