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Department begins formal review of speech and theater endorsements; Midland receives provisional authorization
Summary
The Nebraska Department of Education told the State Board June 6 it has provisionally approved a theater endorsement program at Midland University and is pursuing formal regulatory revisions that could reintroduce standalone speech and theater endorsements.
At the June 6 State Board of Education meeting, Brad Dirksen, administrator of the department's Office of Accreditation, Certification and Approval, summarized concerns raised by teachers and stakeholders about pathways for speech and theater educators and described the department's steps toward regulatory change.
Dirksen told the board that historically Nebraska had separate speech and theater subject and field endorsements but moved away from narrowly focused subject endorsements in the early 2010s. “Prospective speech or theater teachers were required to earn another subject or field endorsement and add speech or theater as a supplemental endorsement,” Dirksen said, describing the effect that supplemental endorsements had on candidates who wanted a program focused solely on theater or speech.
Dirksen said Midland University applied for a special endorsement authorization under rule 20; the commissioner appointed a review team and provisionally approved a theater endorsement program. That provisional approval allows Midland to establish a theater program while the department and advisory groups consider broader regulatory changes.
The Nebraska Council on Teacher Education (NCTE), an advisory body to the state board, convened an ad hoc committee to review the English language arts endorsement area, which includes speech and theater as supplemental endorsements. Dirksen said the ad hoc committee recommended establishing separate speech and theater subject endorsements and a speech and theater field endorsement; the committee’s recommendations were forwarded to the NCTE executive committee and may be considered by the full council at its June 13 meeting. If endorsed, the recommendation could lead to a public‑input draft of revisions to rule 24 for board consideration.
Dirksen emphasized that current English language arts endorsements would continue to qualify educators to teach speech and theater even if separate endorsements are added. He told the board the department has been engaging a wide group of stakeholders and will bring recommended changes to the board for consideration after the advisory process.
Board members thanked staff for moving through the process and asked for continued outreach to ensure that potential teachers have clear, practical pathways to certification in speech and theater.
