This bill creates a new "military impact funding" mechanism for Nebraska school districts serving children of active-duty military members. Districts receive state funds calculated by comparing per-pupil federal impact aid (from the Elementary and Secondary Education Act) to per-pupil local tax levies, with the difference paid for each enrolled military-connected child. This funding is added to the state's school finance formula starting in the 2025-26 school year. It directly affects districts that received federal impact aid in the prior year and provide free education to military-connected students.
LB 670 requires all Nebraska public school districts and nonpublic schools to adopt annual safety plans covering fire, tornado, and vehicle evacuation drills. It also changes training requirements for child care providers, teachers, and school staff, mandating at least four hours of annual training focused on child safety, health, and emergency response. The bill updates the Nebraska Early Childhood Professional Record System to track staff training and clarifies the State School Security Director’s role in supporting school safety planning and assessments. These changes directly affect schools, child care programs, and their staff by establishing standardized safety protocols and training obligations.
This bill requires licensed child care and early education programs (including for-profit, nonprofit, Head Start, and Early Head Start programs) to implement emergency safety plans and notification systems similar to those in schools. It creates a state fund to provide competitive grants to local agencies for emergency notification systems, safety training, and materials to support safe reunification of children during emergencies. The grants, capped at $1,000 annually per agency service, will help programs prepare for threats like fires, intruders, or weather events. The State Department of Education must report annually on grant usage and program participation without disclosing specific child care facility details.
LB 282 allows K-12 teachers in Nebraska public, private, denominational, or parochial schools to seek up to $300 in reimbursement for school supplies they personally purchased. Teachers must submit receipts to the State Department of Education, which will administer the program based on policies developed by the State Board of Education. The bill requires the State Board to specify eligible supplies and establish application procedures, effective starting the 2025-26 school year. This directly affects teachers who cover out-of-pocket supply costs, providing a structured reimbursement process.
Nebraska bill LB 389 eliminates the ability of educational service units (ESUs) to collect local property taxes for funding. Instead, it requires the state to provide direct funding to ESUs according to specified formulas. This change affects ESUs and the school districts that previously contributed to ESU budgets through local tax levies. The bill modifies existing tax levy limits for school districts and ESUs to remove their authority to raise funds via property taxes, shifting responsibility to state appropriations.
LB 498 updates Nebraska's school funding formula under the Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act. It changes foundation aid calculations: for school years 2023-24 and 2024-25, aid is $1,500 per formula student, but starting 2025-26, it will increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index. The bill also revises certification deadlines for school funding (moving the key date to March 1 annually) and reduces the portion of foundation aid counted toward school budgets from 100% to 60% for 2025-26 and later. These changes directly affect all Nebraska public school districts receiving state foundation aid.
Nebraska's LB 500 creates a 21-member School Financing Review Commission to examine and recommend improvements to public school funding. The commission includes education officials, legislators, school board members, teachers, and diverse community representatives from across the state. It will review alternatives to property tax reliance (like income or sales tax components), funding for pre-K, career programs, and student needs (including poverty and limited English proficiency), and infrastructure costs. The commission must submit a preliminary report by November 2025 and a final report with recommendations by December 2025, followed by annual reports on funding adequacy starting in 2028. This bill directly affects all Nebraska public elementary and secondary schools and their students.
This bill redefines "formula students" for calculating state education aid under Nebraska's Tax Equity and Educational Opportunities Support Act. It changes how school districts count students to determine funding, specifically adjusting for kindergarten enrollment patterns and including qualified early childhood education students. The new formula uses average daily membership and makes specific adjustments for non-full-day kindergarten programs. This directly affects all Nebraska school districts receiving state education funding by altering the calculation method for their aid payments.
This bill creates Nebraska's Special Education Teacher Forgivable Loan Program, targeting students pursuing special education teaching credentials at eligible Nebraska colleges. It provides loans covering remaining tuition costs after federal/state aid, which are forgiven if recipients teach special education in Nebraska public schools for five consecutive years. To qualify, students must be U.S. citizens or specific eligible noncitizens, enrolled in special education programs, and have applied for other financial aid. Failure to teach in Nebraska for the required period results in repayment with 5% annual interest.
LB 481 establishes the Foster Child Scholarships Act, providing financial aid (HOPE Scholarships) for children in foster care or their biological siblings to attend qualifying private schools in Nebraska. It directly affects eligible students (those in foster care or siblings of foster children) and their educational decisionmakers, allowing them to use scholarships at non-profit private schools meeting state safety, accreditation, and anti-discrimination standards. The program, administered by the Department of Health and Human Services starting 2025-26, covers education costs and continues until graduation or age 21, regardless of foster care status. The bill requires annual reports to the legislature detailing scholarship recipients, funding amounts, and demographic data, while explicitly stating the state cannot control participating schools' governance.
