Omaha Public Schools presents high‑school implementation plan focused on literacy, improvement cycles and accountability
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Summary
District presenters told the Omaha Public Schools board at a workshop that literacy will be the district’s organizing priority for high schools under the 2026–30 strategic plan, outlining instructional‑leadership teams, professional learning, pilots of schedule changes and a reporting cadence to measure progress toward a 2030 “moonshot.”
At a board workshop, district leaders outlined how Omaha Public Schools plans to implement its 2026–30 strategic plan in high schools, centering work on literacy and a set of aligned systems for instruction, professional learning and continuous improvement. Presenters described school examples, a two‑school pilot of a modified block schedule and a calendar of reporting that will track progress toward the district’s stated goal of “all students reading on grade level by 2030.”
The district presentation framed literacy as the organizing priority for high schools and said the work will be structured around three starting priorities: instructional leadership teams (ILTs), job‑embedded professional learning rooted in the science of reading, and improvement science cycles to test and scale changes. “Our singular focus on literacy is guiding the work of high school leadership teams, professional learning, and improvement processes,” a district presenter said.
Presenters gave school‑level examples of how those systems are being used. They described Benson High’s ILT work of unpacking grade‑level tasks, planning instruction, implementing in classrooms and reconvening to analyze student work and set next instructional moves; Burke High’s use of structured student work protocols and PLC time to raise student talk and alignment across classrooms; and Bridal High’s attendance improvement work, which the presenter said produced an “8.67 increase in attendance compared to this time last year” (the presenter did not specify units or whether that is percentage points or a percent change).
District staff outlined supports to increase consistency without forcing sameness: ILTs should include principals, assistant principals and teachers, and central office teams will use coaching, instructional rounds and fidelity checks to monitor curriculum use and task quality. “We want leaders to be visible in classrooms,” a central office presenter said, describing plans for periodic “dead weeks” so school leaders can focus on improvement work.
On curriculum and professional learning, the district said by the end of the 2026–27 school year all high‑school teachers will have professional learning centered on the science of reading, and that 23 high‑school ELA and math teachers are already participating in instructional coaching with the Bailey Group. Presenters also described practical pathways for students: dual‑enrollment options across high‑school sites and Metro Community College, work‑based learning through industry partners, and 25 industry‑recognized certifications available across schools.
Presenters reported more than 400 business and industry partners engaged with schools in mentoring, advisory boards and workplace learning, and identified health professions as the district’s most popular pathway, with about 1,000 students expressing interest. The district said it is working with Nebraska Medicine and Clarkson College on a “NextGen” career opportunity.
Leaders also detailed measurement and accountability. The district’s “moonshot” model places the summative outcome—grade‑level reading by 2030—at the top and uses implementation measures underneath it to judge fidelity and progress. Presenters said Nebraska’s Aquest accountability framework was revised to include a post‑secondary‑readiness indicator made up of five menu options (advanced courses, seal of biliteracy, capstone courses, work‑based learning, or meeting advanced ACT thresholds), and the district will align internal progress measures to those state options. New and existing data sources named for progress monitoring included DIBELS (a universal screener), MAP reading data and Infinite Campus for activity/engagement tracking.
Board members pressed district staff on details: how ILTs will be composed and overseen, what “nonnegotiables” will look like in classrooms, how improvement science is taught and scaled, how the district will support English‑language learners and other subgroups, and when the board can expect comparative metrics. Staff said they will bring grade‑level task implementation data and fidelity evidence to a future workshop and that the district plans two annual board workshops on implementation and system health.
No formal votes or policy decisions were taken at the session; presenters and board members framed the meeting as an informational workshop with scheduled follow‑up reporting. The district closed by inviting board members to future workshops and community events tied to implementation timelines.
What’s next: presenters said similar workshops for elementary and middle grades will follow in June, the district will continue to report regularly on moonshot outcomes and foundational conditions, and two high schools (Central and Westview) will pilot a modified block schedule with evaluation planned in the coming school year.
Quotes in this article are attributed to the district presenters and board members as recorded in the workshop transcript.
