Omaha Public Schools board adopts ‘moonshot’ goal: all students reading on grade level by 2030

The Omaha Public Schools Board of Education voted unanimously Monday to adopt a resolution setting a districtwide goal that every OPS student will be reading on grade level by 2030.

Superintendent Ray and district leaders described the initiative — branded the “moonshot” — as a singular, systemwide focus combining professional learning, changes to instructional time and a review of graduation requirements. “This is not a hashtag. This is not a gimmick,” Superintendent Ray told the board as he introduced the proposal and the planning process.

The board’s vote came after a detailed presentation from district staff. Suzanne Kramer, chief school improvement officer, summarized four interlocking work streams: strategy development, instructional time, graduation-requirements review and a “stop doing” team to remove programs or processes that do not support the literacy goal. Kramer said the district has trained more than 200 teachers in initial Science of Reading professional learning and is building a “3‑60 dashboard” to monitor attendance, behavior and on‑track indicators alongside reading progress.

The presentation included a problem statement showing that the highest level of literacy proficiency previously recorded for any grade in OPS was 42 percent of third graders on the NSCAS ELA assessment, with school-level proficiency ranging from 11 percent to 74 percent. Kramer and other staff argued the district needs to both raise average proficiency and close gaps between schools.

District staff described engagement and design steps taken so far: a systemwide kickoff that included staff and board members, empathy interviews with students, families and staff, alignment with strategic partners including the University of Nebraska Omaha for Science of Reading training, and monthly work‑team meetings that include cross‑functional representation (teachers, administrators, transportation, after‑school staff and community partners).

Dr. Annie McFarland, who leads the Instructional Time work group, said the team is reviewing state statutes and OPS policy to identify possible changes to the school calendar, school day and distribution of instructional minutes, then planning stakeholder feedback and a communications rollout before any changes are proposed. Deanna Moisei’s graduation-requirements group is examining options to align diploma requirements with continuous literacy support through secondary grades.

Board members asked for specifics on measurement, supports for English learners and special education students, and how the district will avoid leaving any groups behind. Mr. Smith asked whether the district is using multiple measures to capture growth; Kramer and other staff described a layered monitoring approach that pairs implementation fidelity (how teachers use new practices) with student assessments (MAP, NSCAS and local screeners) and perceptual data (empathy interviews and stakeholder feedback). Kramer said the district expects to see implementation signals in months and measurable outcome trends over multiple years, and staff emphasized a 2–3 year window for meaningful student‑level outcomes tied to large professional‑learning investments.

Several board members pressed on equity and structural barriers. Board Member Fuller asked how the moonshot accounts for longstanding segregation and unequal resource distributions across the district; district leaders said the initiative focuses on levers the district controls — instruction, professional learning, materials and school‑level supports — while acknowledging that broader housing and enrollment patterns matter and require community collaboration.

After roughly two hours of presentation and board discussion, the board considered and approved Resolution 25‑001. The motion to adopt the moonshot was made by Mr. Smith and seconded by Dr. Holman; a roll call recorded nine ayes and no nays.

The resolution directs the district to continue the four work groups, finalize recommendations this spring on possible instructional‑time modifications and graduation‑requirement adjustments, and develop de‑implementation plans to stop practices that do not directly support literacy. Staff said recommended changes and formal proposals will return to the board for review and action.

Board members and staff framed the moonshot as a long‑term, systemwide alignment effort rather than a single program purchase. Superintendent Ray said the district intends to “focus the organization” and to measure both implementation and student outcomes as work proceeds.

Votes at the board meeting also advanced related operational items and committee recommendations; the moonshot resolution was the principal policy action of the evening. The board’s adoption commits OPS to further planning and to bringing concrete proposals back for board approval as each work stream completes stakeholder input and technical design.

The board approved the resolution 9–0 at the March 10, 2025 meeting; staff will return with formal recommendations for any calendar, policy or graduation requirement changes and with ongoing progress reports to the board.