U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona today announced the 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars, recognizing 161 high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields. The Nebraska scholars include (hometown, scholar, school, location): NE – Lincoln – Christina Xu, Lincoln East High School, Lincoln, Nebraska. NE – Omaha – Mark M. Bausch, Creighton Preparatory School, Omaha, Nebraska. “The 161 high school seniors selected for the 60th anniversary of the U.S. Presidential Scholars represent the best of our nation’s schools and inspire ho ..read more

230 Nebraska students, advisors, and guests recently attended the 2024 DECA International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California. Nebraska DECA High School members competed and participated in leadership academies April 27- April 30 in 59 competitive events. More than 23,000 DECA members from 50 states, as well as U.S. territories and international chapters, attended the conference. This marked the largest ICDC to date. Students attended leadership academies with industry leaders, elected an executive student officer team, competed, and attended exclusive events at Disney and Uni ..read more

The Nebraska Department of Education released the first draft of the proposed revisions to Nebraska’s College and Career Ready Standards for Science and is seeking input from the public. The information collected will be used as part of the standards review and revision process. Nebraska state law requires updates to the standards for reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies every seven years. The current science standards, which cover the science requirements in the law, were approved in 2017. Once approved by the State Board of Education, the standards create the framework ..read more

Nebraska schools have been awarded $10 million in safety and security grants for security-related infrastructure projects, ensuring a safer learning environment for students statewide. The Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) received 217 applications, including 162 from public and 55 from nonpublic schools, vying for a share of the $10 million allocated for these critical projects. Each application underwent a rigorous review process by NDE staff with extensive knowledge of school safety strategies. The evaluation was based on a weighted rubric focusing on various components such as program ..read more

The Nebraska Department of Education and the Nebraska International Language Association have awarded 142 Seals of Biliteracy to 141 Nebraska students in April. Beside Spanish, the seals are awarded for students in German, Latin, and Tamil. The Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy is to honor high school students who have achieved a high level of proficiency in English and at least one other language. Students apply for the Nebraska Seal of Biliteracy after demonstrating proficiency based on the Nebraska World Language Standards structured around communication, cultures, connections, communities, and c ..read more

Nebraska DECA students and advisors met for their 67th annual State Career Development Conference in Lincoln March 14-15, 2024, at the Marriott Cornhusker Hotel. More than 600 high school students and advisers from 35 chapters attended the conference to compete in more than 40-chapter, team, and individual events, attend leadership workshops, and celebrate the success of Nebraska DECA. High school students placing first, second, or third in the competitive events and first or second in the prepared events qualified to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference (ICDC) in An ..read more

Three Nebraska teachers have been selected as state finalists for the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST), the nation’s highest honor for K–12 science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and/or computer science teachers. This year applicants from K – 6 mathematics, science, technology, engineering and/or computer science classrooms could apply. The awards program is administered by the National Science Foundation (NSF) on behalf of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. The NE State Selection Committee advanced three state finali ..read more

More than 350 youth members and adult sponsors from 30 chapters from across the state gathered for the annual Nebraska Educators Rising (EdRising) State Leadership Conference on March 5, 2024 in Fremont on the campus of Midland University. This conference provided students opportunities to engage in breakout sessions, participate in Competitive Events, network with education professionals and postsecondary education programs, be recognized for their work throughout the year, and elect the 2024-2025 State Officer Team. Members heard from keynote speaker and 2024 Nebraska Teacher of the Year, Sc ..read more

The Nebraska Department of Education is recognizing 65 Distinguished World Language Scholars during World Language Week 2024. The World Language Distinguished Scholar Award recognizes Nebraska students for their leadership in language learning, commitment to language study, appreciation for cultural diversity, and communicative competence. Students were nominated by their teachers and submitted a portfolio. “Learning a world language means strengthening one’s understanding of humans across all backgrounds, ethnicities, and time periods.,” said Bellevue West High senior and World Language Disti ..read more

In a significant stride toward addressing the teacher shortage crisis in the state, the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) announces the Nebraska Teacher Apprenticeship Program. This groundbreaking initiative seeks to bolster the recruitment and training of educators across Nebraska through an apprenticeship model, following the enactment of LB705 in 2023. The program is a visionary move by the Nebraska legislature, earmarking $1 million towards developing a robust mechanism for preparing future educators. The State Board ratified a partnership in August with the National Center for Grow Y ..read more