Educators Say Funding, New Assessments Among Challenges

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Updated: 4:19 AM Jul 29, 2010 Educators Say Funding, New Assessments Among Challenges Kearney A top education official says most school districts across Nebraska have been taking steps to prepare for funding challenges that will follow the loss of federal stimulus dollars. Posted: 1:28 PM Jul 28, 2010 Reporter: Sara Geake Email Address: sara.geake@1011now.com

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Thousands of Nebraska school administrators and education leaders gathered in Kearney Wednesday to talk about the new school year.

Nebraska Commissioner of Education Roger Breed talked about the challenges districts will face in the 2010-2011 school year as part of the annual Administrators' Days.

He says one is assessments.

The results of Nebraska's new statewide reading assessments come out for the first time next month.

"There's fear in the unknown and so districts are, I think, anxious to find out what their results are and then to go to work on it," said Breed.

In the past, districts have created their own assessments and reported back to the state. Now with one test, schools will be ranked.

"The challenge for the state will be, how do we take those rankings and how do we then form state policy which supports us to move schools and all student achievement to where we want it to be?" said Breed.

Funding is on par with previous years. Breed said there probably wouldn't be many budget cuts in districts this upcoming school year, because stimulus dollars are still available.

Last year, state lawmakers were able to more than double the original, planned increase in school aid to schools because of stimulus dollars. But those funds will dry up, and state revenues have been lagging, so state education leaders have a warning.

"Use this year to plan and to take action so next year regardless of what the state aid level is - and it's going to be less than this year's - but you're prepared to make it work," said Breed.

Still, without a federal "Race to the Top" grant, officials say they don't know where funding will come from for projects like a proposed "virtual high school."

"If we can't secure federal resources to move that plan forward, are there other resources that we can have or are there things that we need to stop doing in the state so that we can put those resources to an online high school or a virtual opportunity for students, particularly in our most rural and geographically isolated areas?" said Breed.

Breed says the "virtual high school" will likely be delayed.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Grid Iron Location: Lincoln on Jul 28, 2010 at 08:43 PM

Listen to Mike Meister. He has a plan about new opportunities, instead of cutting classes like the Anti-Osborn governor.

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