[{"_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",6475619,"mediaKeyId","5732261-844c68e70fe93b324a495b712bb3d708","parentId",5732261,"title","Votes at a glance: State Board approves attendance resolution, McKinney-Vento grants, rule changes and several contracts","audioSeconds",1583,"startMs",1868000,"endMs",3451000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732261-844c68e70fe93b324a495b712bb3d708&start=1868&end=3451","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732261-844c68e70fe93b324a495b712bb3d708/thumbnail_1868000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6475619/Nebraska/Votes-at-a-glance-State-Board-approves-attendance-resolution-McKinney-Vento-grants-rule-changes-and-several-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475619-809b80ae1176861a5fffa67a61bb0ef8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770542253&Signature=Y6WD6rm25ZY2yunS-kR4TxWXuKzVc2EpYGxw4WsSjGaTEqYllXhIrANuGgL9Lnv2Cu0N5rsTi895NhUzzJQVQnMPM0PiZJ2pmn~6FEVo9wiEo3qDIqHu9grbftjyFGgqgAX~6LHHiyk1IxdkQbIXsyfutxjFUKg65SQ0y~uRQVVsmjfULBpkWATgSgzA-wJLWmCf88bmfHlG0rdo8OOV8kai78Ko4T1Q9UrnvlXxfrYcnUjyNKmA0yLQ1-BTrUreZzHTzYyYsvaCeRNKpunuXZdAIjJfAV7PxseXqK6WkPsXmn6dskh0gkL52qgrKhtKHuE66DbOSS3dAiyaK-bROQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Nebraska Department of Education","date","2025-09-06T04:21:01Z","article","What the board approved (select actions from the Sept. 5 meeting)

- Attendance awareness resolution (Agenda item 2.2): The board adopted a resolution proclaiming September as Attendance Awareness Month and commencing the Nebraska Every Day Counts campaign. The motion passed on a roll call vote with seven affirmative votes and one absence. The resolution cites chronic absenteeism as missing 10% of membership time and noted the Department’s commitment to halving chronic absenteeism by 2030.

- McKinney-Vento grants (Agenda item 7.2.d): The board authorized the commissioner to approve McKinney-Vento grant allocations for the 2025–26 school year. NDE’s McKinney-Vento state coordinator, Anne Carmoney, explained districts commonly use funds for a dedicated liaison for homeless students and for transportation; districts must match awards with Title I funds. The motion passed by roll call (seven yes, one absence).

- Rule waivers and pilots (Agenda items 7.3.a and 7.3.b): The board approved Rule 11 teacher waiver requests for Bloomfield, Stapleton and Umen Han Nation public schools, and approved a three-year pilot allowing University of Nebraska at Kearney early childhood inclusive teaching candidates to complete clinical practice in Head Start classrooms not in formal partnership with an approved school. The pilot was approved as a three‑year trial; board members asked for a metrics-based review at the pilot’s conclusion. Both motions passed (seven yes, one absence).

- Rule revisions (Agenda items 7.4.b and 7.4.c): The board adopted proposed revisions to Rule 8 (school finance and budgeting, state funding of ESUs and learning communities) and Rule 86 (public school breakfast program reimbursement) after the public hearing process and committee review. Both adopted revisions passed by roll call (seven yes, one absence).

- Consent agenda (Agenda item 6): The consent agenda, which included routine approvals and a staff-recommended appointment to the Nebraska Assistive Technology Partnership Advisory Council, was adopted by roll call (seven yes, one absence).

Other contract authorizations
- Nebraska Literacy Leadership Network (Agenda item 7.2.c): The board authorized the commissioner to approve a contract (see separate coverage). Vote: seven yes, one absence.

- SLDS grant activities (Agenda item 7.2.e): The board authorized the commissioner to approve contracts for Statewide Longitudinal Data System activities; discussion included student-data privacy and the department’s plan to update its data access and use manual. Vote: seven yes, one absence.

How votes were recorded
Most motions were moved and seconded at the meeting and finalized by roll call. Where a specific mover/second was not captured in the on-the-record transcript excerpt, the board’s roll call was recorded by the recording secretary. For the listed motions the roll call recorded seven affirmative votes and one absence.

What the board asked staff to do
Board members repeatedly asked staff to provide implementation details, metrics and follow-up reporting, including monthly and outcomes-based reporting for large contracts, documented evaluation criteria for McKinney-Vento awards, and a revised NDE data access and use manual addressing parental notification and privacy protections.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","September 2025 State Board of Education Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At its Sept. 5 meeting the Nebraska State Board of Education approved a set of resolutions, grants, rule revisions and contract authorizations, including a proclamation for Attendance Awareness Month and funding approvals for literacy, homeless-student services and SLDS activities.","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},6475624,"Board presses NDE on student-data privacy as SLDS contracts move forward",172,3851000,4023000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732261-844c68e70fe93b324a495b712bb3d708&start=3851&end=4023","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732261-844c68e70fe93b324a495b712bb3d708/thumbnail_3851000.jpg","/articles/6475624/Nebraska/Board-presses-NDE-on-student-data-privacy-as-SLDS-contracts-move-forward","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475624-06b88d1850e19455e363b9d0c01f2a10/orig.mp4?Expires=1770542253&Signature=SkM0OkhlbsH2cLDoGn7mQsTensTjLPHhTOFM3VQoaFmEuHtz9LDDjO7~6o3Sg9zi8ayzfues6xfh9lHRk60Q5-CC8OrBlLkOAUeYDr66JG5Cn1Y74xhkM9LPi9eGHV7XUHX9VAOErQsy1vQ~rrUfwgbxarzFOtMIhPbGTPvo4FUb2HFt-a8GG8dDrRlU-Jyhe7~gLaVpffGbGOFM8dI7IJ9Nl7Oxsnt1DQPmqe48JnUEWw9fBcqDDSDfUs0BAM1xe~eXo6f2EEy1bMiXbmQVYuuXPud49UrYf3bDzGBlc-FVqt8iAV9qTFMsGz26nRQ--e6BsqJY-WJd~sLZGbKbwg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State Board of Education members on Sept. 5 authorized the commissioner to approve contracts for activities tied to the Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) while pressing the Nebraska Department of Education for clearer student-data privacy protections and notification practices.

The vote to authorize SLDS contracts passed unanimously in the meeting (seven yes, one absence). Much of the discussion focused not on whether the department should hold the data but on how it is protected, how it may be shared with contractors and researchers, and what rights parents have to review or restrict use of their child’s information.

What board members asked and what staff said
Kristen Yates, NDE information systems officer, told the board the department is updating its 2013 data access and use manual and that the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) remains the primary federal statute governing disclosure of student records. Yates said the revision will emphasize both security (preventing unauthorized access) and privacy (avoiding disclosures that could identify students), and the department plans to tighten how small cell sizes are presented in public reports.

Board members asked whether private contractors could receive personally identifiable information (PII) and whether parents are notified or can opt out of specific uses. Yates explained that some disclosures are FERPA-permissible — for example, when a district authorizes an outside partner to perform work the district would otherwise perform — and that many administrative-data disclosures do not require individual parental consent under current federal rules. She also said departments store longitudinal administrative data back to 2008 for authorized analyses and that servers are secured, with many housed off-premises at OCIO facilities.

Several board members urged more proactive parental notification and clearer opt-in/opt-out language. The department acknowledged federal law limits some options but said it would strengthen internal policy language, clarify permissible disclosures and emphasize notification practices where statute allows.

Why it matters
The SLDS contains long-term records that enable longitudinal research and program evaluation but also carry privacy risk when data are shared or when vendors or partners are contracted to perform analyses. Board members repeatedly framed the discussion as one of transparency and trust: they want parents to understand what is collected, how it is used, and how their children’s data are protected.

Board action and follow-up
The board authorized the commissioner to approve SLDS-related contracts and asked the department to update the data access and use manual, include clearer public-facing language about parental rights and notification options, and report back with revised policies. The motion passed on a roll call of seven yes and one absence.

","State Board members questioned how the Nebraska Department of Education protects personally identifiable student data and whether parents can opt out, while the board authorized contracts for Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) activities.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6475630,"State Board OKs up to $4.5M for Nebraska Literacy Leadership Network after board questions cost and scope",448,2822000,3270000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5732261-844c68e70fe93b324a495b712bb3d708&start=2822&end=3270","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5732261-844c68e70fe93b324a495b712bb3d708/thumbnail_2822000.jpg","/articles/6475630/Nebraska/State-Board-OKs-up-to-45M-for-Nebraska-Literacy-Leadership-Network-after-board-questions-cost-and-scope","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6475630-7d9c5c73c5cdef6ee9f1f2c71ad6c801/orig.mp4?Expires=1770542253&Signature=OYOec6-IhDLi3mXNL2J2qF5aEVCOic7EOyevc2eM0WgAqkgaMbz2HxAMB5sgp205rAavMQSgVemHZHOM4iMTi3U~SkodjVa~3owEJfirubYTtBTFFmPlOivXndkfXxfpcabmiaxQiHBPTW2pvj~gqX2dr192Wb1U6ptFbOsJrJYgDV0WPMud6wbTZTN~kxe0wvWecVzHho4dr0clUwsTFcwTCCCx8FZ5UX6H5u3EdSLnx6bWzy0tpbFvsCghYO8q6GFtWtaAZ6ua3gNdwqqktjoz268c2lkmoRAHrNIVu~jWNDAz-9SGqw8-cawcjo6QBJgexwjB0EohEnpjI7-mIA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Nebraska State Board of Education on Sept. 5 authorized the commissioner to approve a contract for the Nebraska Literacy Leadership Network, approving up to $4,500,000 in grant-funded spending to support intensive leadership training aimed at improving early literacy instruction.

Board members pressed staff for details about the size and cost of cohorts and how progress will be tracked. Lane Carr of the commissioner’s office told the board the department originally designed the effort for 75 leaders per year, but that number was negotiable in the first year. NDE staff later explained the vendor’s proposal was costed to serve up to 89 schools with roughly four participants per school, which would amount to about 356 participants in the initial year rather than 75.

Why it matters: The authorized amount is a large, out-of-budget infusion for an intensive leadership program the board described as “a significant investment.” Board members said they want regular reporting and measurable evidence of impact because the funds were not part of the agency’s base budget.

Details of the proposal and debate
NDE staff said the contract would fund intensive professional learning and on-the-job coaching for school leaders; the vendor proposal presented to staff was costed at roughly $33,000–$36,000 per school and, as proposed, would total about $2.9 million for the vendor’s base design. Ryan Foer, an NDE staff member working on the project, told the board the department sought authority for up to $4.5 million so it would have flexibility to negotiate if the vendor could serve more schools than in the initial proposal. Foer said the department’s original grant application to a private funder (the application sought up to $5 million per year) supported asking for up to $4.5 million.

Lane Carr said the department’s initial design anticipated 75 leaders per year but acknowledged the final participant count would depend on negotiations and cohort structure. Board members pressed on per-participant cost given the different participant-count scenarios; board members asked for regular reporting and for the program to move from activity-based updates early on to more outcomes-based reporting as the project matured.

Board action and oversight
The motion to authorize the commissioner to approve the contract passed on a roll call vote with seven affirmative votes and one absence. Committee discussion and staff comments referenced the Sherwood Foundation–aligned grant framing used in the department’s proposal documents; NDE staff said any contract amount below the board-authorized cap would be brought back to the board as required.

Next steps
NDE staff said they expect the program to begin with an initial cohort and to provide monthly reporting early in implementation, shifting over time to outcome reporting tied to literacy measures. Board members requested future updates that show how participant training translates to student literacy outcomes.

","The State Board of Education authorized the commissioner to approve a contract to implement a Nebraska Literacy Leadership Network, approving up to $4.5 million for the program after board members pressed staff for details on cohort size, vendor costs and reporting requirements.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: State Board approves attendance resolution, McKinney-Vento grants, rule changes and several contracts

Board presses NDE on student-data privacy as SLDS contracts move forward

State Board OKs up to $4.5M for Nebraska Literacy Leadership Network after board questions cost and scope