[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6493496,"mediaKeyId","5555438-27b56ba7905936658dc0618785ee759c","parentId",5555438,"title","Board stalls on Nebraska Council on Teacher Education roster after heated debate","audioSeconds",790,"startMs",7421000,"endMs",8211000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5555438-27b56ba7905936658dc0618785ee759c&start=7421&end=8211","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5555438-27b56ba7905936658dc0618785ee759c/thumbnail_7421000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6493496/Nebraska/Board-stalls-on-Nebraska-Council-on-Teacher-Education-roster-after-heated-debate","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493496-0689c97cb97f546bd5784cf0e448ae2f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770413632&Signature=nVeR8QB6t9wHfpHmY1hqWH9KF3ZHhbCLbavAtoL6QSQhkm5gu1VcSEmPH6DQpw4m5K13a9iil91kCO5DiOyKmPRKzcOTr-6SaDMH~2W~ce6gk4Zlv~M4kryTx6E3AXJquUXmpu3mn4TDzRSB7Gp5kTKTQ78ePT4vRKgluCehZSUotGQ073EYM7wR1snXff-tlVzNQfZ85zxqFfUvjbCTIlHsKUxbnwWouV7Jmp65fMVUyg5rxa~xHnRPFqndqf37jYRgBnTQwvCCqtX4a7SDmOuyT343qxbpcfUU0yDOzWmGkhqFmQpDXW9Wxgcg86UPS8FaXWBjqk3ZeM6ONq~X8Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nebraska Department of Education","date","2025-08-09T05:00:28Z","article","The State Board of Education did not approve the 2025-26 Nebraska Council on Teacher Education roster after extended debate and tied roll-call votes. Multiple motions to approve parts of the roster or the full slate failed on 4-4 votes during the Aug. 8 meeting.

Why it matters

The NCTE roster determines who advises state education leaders on educator preparation and standards. Board members said they were split over whether teacher seats proposed by the Nebraska State Education Association (NSEA) gave fair representation to nonpublic and nonunion teachers. Because the board did not approve the roster, department staff may use interim appointment procedures in the NCTE organizational policies to fill vacancies for the coming year.

What happened at the meeting

The board first considered a motion to approve the higher education and governance sections of the roster; that motion failed on a 4-4 roll call. An amendment to add the teacher section to that motion also failed 4-4. A subsequent motion to approve the entire roster likewise failed on a 4-4 vote.

Board members and staff described procedural questions and competing priorities. Several board members urged either approval of the whole roster or sending the item back to committee. Others said the existing nomination structure had not provided slots for nonpublic or nonunion public teachers.

\"Until there are nonpublic school teachers and nonunion public school teachers given a seat at the NCTE table, I will be voting no,\" said board member Liz Renner, summarizing concerns raised during discussion. Sherry Jones and others argued for more representation for nonpublic teachers; Deborah Neri and other members argued the board should approve the recommended roster and pursue structural changes later.

Parliamentarian Ryan Fore and NDE staff joined the discussion to explain options: if the board takes no action, organizational policies allow NDE staff to approve interim replacements recommended by the NCTE executive committee for the coming year. Brad Dirkson, NDE administrator, told the board that, under organizational policies, the executive committee would ask nominating groups for replacements and staff would then appoint members for the one-year interim term.

Votes at the meeting and next steps

- Motion (amended) to insert \"teachers\" into a motion to approve higher education and governance sections: failed 4 yes, 4 no.
- Motion to approve higher education and governance sections: failed 4 yes, 4 no.
- Motion to approve the entire 2025-26 NCTE roster: failed 4 yes, 4 no.

Because the board did not approve the roster, NDE staff may fill vacancies under section 6 of the NCTE organizational policies for one year while a longer-term solution is pursued. Several board members asked staff to bring proposals for more equitable representation and to consider returning the item to committee.

Ending

Board members left the meeting without a final roster; staff said interim appointments are allowed under existing policies. Several members signaled plans to pursue structural changes to how teacher seats are nominated and apportioned.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","August 2025 State Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The State Board of Education failed to approve the 2025-26 Nebraska Council on Teacher Education roster after a series of 4-4 tied votes over representation of teacher seats, leaving interim appointment authority to department staff under existing policies.","taxTitle","Board of Education, Elected Officials, Organizations, Executive, Nebraska","taxId",28189,"location","Nebraska","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6493501,"State board accepts $25 million private gift, approves $55 million federal literacy subawards",3203,796000,3999000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5555438-27b56ba7905936658dc0618785ee759c&start=796&end=3999","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5555438-27b56ba7905936658dc0618785ee759c/thumbnail_796000.jpg","/articles/6493501/Nebraska/State-board-accepts-25-million-private-gift-approves-55-million-federal-literacy-subawards","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6493501-de6dde7a8a7ab7e4a586f34a17afec6f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770413632&Signature=PglYI4xx0gfBiOc0~KPJGaK0P4vYp8kN9fNBfTa4NkSchbjELSzHOMAm0W2qyckgDFb-kKmP4l0QzNvJp0vr-i-Oy6z8R6lWjFI1YQkcvZCcXZKf-gB3QPvPePMPGPUNb36Sm59SRFsRJjysOeNqTnP8g4GM5gDXppG-AETYh4zZIOoaj8B5t5VXldRsC7Cg9PfqFnJtPAFsFwaL~LXRQWvfcIdffKXDHgokjDp~T4OpH9twUAnkLolpGxSsZX9r1HOsD2xFS4gHjlHAY4UHfO7XKVkMDJ0mV7Tvb0NsQ61izPOFo7ICdiT07gt0o98Gj0~dvCUASdlqygQyhfqzbw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The State Board of Education voted to award subgrants from the federal Comprehensive Literacy State Development (CLSD) grant and accepted a $25 million gift from the Sherwood Foundation to create the Nebraska Literacy Leadership Network.

The actions, approved during the board's Aug. 8 meeting, are part of a multi-year literacy strategy the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) says will combine federal, state and private funding for teacher training and local coaching. Commissioner Brian Maher told the board that the challenge is not finding resources but coordinating them.

Board action and why it matters

The board voted to award CLSD subawards to identified grantees and later voted to accept the Sherwood Foundation gift for the Nebraska Literacy Leadership Network. The CLSD money is intended for evidence-based reading instruction activities, and the Sherwood gift will target leadership and professional development for school and district leaders, board members said.

\"There is a lot of money, and there are a lot of different people to thank,\" Commissioner Brian Maher said. \"Resources aren't our issue. It's the how do we use those resources to accomplish our goals. Our goal is to improve student outcomes.\"

Board members framed the combined funding as a way to scale training and put coaches into classrooms. \"We need coaches\u0014somebody who can come into a classroom and coach the talent that already exists within the teacher up,\" Maher said.

What the board approved

- Motion to award funding from the CLSD grant to identified subaward grantees (mover: Kristen Christensen). Vote: 8 yes, 0 no; motion adopted.
- Motion to accept grant funds for the Nebraska Literacy Leadership Network (Sherwood Foundation gift) (mover: Kristen Christensen). Vote: 8 yes, 0 no; motion adopted.

Board discussion and concerns

Board members praised the size and potential of the investments but also pressed staff on sustainability and accountability. Lisa Schonhoff and Deborah Neri both emphasized professional learning and coaching as essential to lasting change; Schonhoff called the CLSD grants \"a gold standard project\" and Neri highlighted the Sherwood gift as \"transformational.\"

\"One of the reasons why I'm really grateful for this $25 million is because there aren't any strings attached,\" Neri said, adding that the funds will be used to train administrators and literacy coaches.

Staff said the CLSD awards will fund a first round of subgrantees (46 recipients identified in the first portion), with some age-band allocations leaving some applicants unfunded this round; staff also said future rounds or re-awards are possible if dollars remain in later years of the multi-year grant.

Background

Board members and department staff have been pursuing a coordinated literacy effort for months. The board previously discussed the state's $55 million federal CLSD award and a push to create a statewide infrastructure for evidence-based reading instruction. The Sherwood Foundation gift, announced during the meeting discussion, increases private support for that effort.

What to watch next

Board members asked staff for follow-up on how success will be measured and how funds will be reallocated in later grant years. NDE staff said they will return with implementation details and with tracking and accountability plans as grant activities proceed.

Ending

Board members described the approvals as significant steps to expand literacy professional learning across Nebraska, while several members emphasized ongoing oversight to ensure the dollars produce measurable gains in student reading outcomes.

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Public comments and concern

A public commenter, Loewen Eby of Papillion, told the board she reviewed district financial reporting and raised concerns that many districts are not accounting for all revenue and that NDE staff were recommending large income exclusions that she said could improperly increase state aid eligibility. Eby cited a memo she found noting total exclusion amounts of $121,240,452 and said 62 school districts were requesting exclusions.

NDE explanation

Bryce Wilson, NDE finance officer, explained the exclusions are standard: they allow districts to spend non-tax revenue\u0014for example federal grants, private donations, or foundation gifts\u0014without that income counting against the statutory local spending lid. He said the exclusions do not change TEOSA state-aid calculations nor do they directly increase local property taxes. He added that districts that are not up against their spending lid do not need to request exclusions.

Board action

The board moved and seconded the motion to approve districts' requests for spending exclusions. Roll call recorded unanimous approval: 8 yes, 0 no. Board members said they appreciated the public comment and asked staff to respond to further questions.

Key facts

- Public commenter Loewen Eby said a memo from NDE referenced $121,240,452 in total recommended income exclusions and 62 school districts requesting exclusions.
- NDE finance officer Bryce Wilson explained exclusions are for non-tax dollars and do not affect TEOSA state-aid calculations or local property tax directly.

Ending

The board approved the spending exclusions by unanimous roll call and asked staff to continue to provide clarity about financial reporting and the mechanics of exclusions when public concerns arise.

","The State Board of Education unanimously approved school districts' requests for exclusions to the general fund spending limitation under the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunity Support Act (TEOSA) after a public commenter urged scrutiny of district income reporting.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board stalls on Nebraska Council on Teacher Education roster after heated debate

State board accepts $25 million private gift, approves $55 million federal literacy subawards

Board approves school district spending exclusions under TEOSA after public comment