Nebraska

The purpose of this document is to capture state-by-state information of policy and guidelines related to the science of reading / evidence-based reading instruction to be presented on The Reading League Compass, a website of reliable and reputable guidance and resources for targeted stakeholder groups.

Local control?

Yes

Has your state passed legislation and/or non-legislated rule changes related to the science of reading?

Yes. The Nebraska Reading Improvement Act of 2018 requires schools to identify students performing below an established threshold level on an approved reading screener. They must also provide supplemental reading intervention programs that include, “…development in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension…” and, “explicit and systematic instruction…”

Proposed revisions to the Nebraska Department of Education’s Rule 20: Regulations for the Approval of Teacher Educator Programs, may include, under section 005.02H Instructional Strategies, that teacher candidates support student reading and writing skills “through the application of the science of reading”.

Nebraska Revised State Statute section 79-2607 refers to SOR aligned changes. It defines evidence-based reading instruction and directly calls out the misalignment of the three-cueing system.

Does your state have an approved curriculum list?

No. The NDE provides guidance on the selection and implementation in the selection and implementation of high-quality instructional materials through our Nebraska Instructional Materials Collaborative. The site has tools and resources including links to EdReports review of Math, ELA, and Science materials.

Was evidence-aligned reading instruction a consideration for the curriculum review?

No. However, the Nebraska Instructional Materials Collaborative website includes links to EdReports reviews of foundational programs. The site is updated so that districts can access all reviews of materials.

Please describe any other instructional-materials work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable

No. However, through a partnership with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Nebraska’s Multi-tiered System of Support (NeMTSS) network, districts have access to the Program Comparison Tool. This resource provides information about core and supplemental materials and is intended to help districts make informed decisions about programs. Users can search programs by their evidence base using ratings from the What Works Clearinghouse, Evidence for ESSA (ESSA), or the NeMTSS Evidence-Based Practice classification system.

Does your state mandate or provide guidance on early screening?

Yes. The NDE developed a comprehensive rubric for Nebraska educators that includes language related to validity, reliability, administration, scoring, and diverse populations. The rubric is designed with literacy constructs to prioritize research-based approaches to foundational skills instruction. The rubric was utilized to provide a list of approved screeners per the requirements of the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act.

The NDE is in partnership with Mathematica to explore how Nebraska districts and schools are implementing the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act and will develop additional guidance with an emphasis on effective practices associated with Individualized Reading Improvement Plans (IRIPs).

Please describe any other assessment work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable

Nebraska Revised State Statute section 79-11, 157.01 requires districts to report the number of students performing below threshold levels of approved screeners per the requirements of the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act, or have been tested for a specific learning disability, including dyslexia, in the area of reading. Districts also must indicate how many students showed growth on the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act approved assessments. Prior to the 2023-2024 school year, public school districts were not required to provide aggregated assessment data. All districts must now report their K-3 screening data to the NDE annually on or before July 1st of each calendar year.

The NDE has updated its Nebraska MTSS framework, which includes a shared glossary of terms. The glossary provides succinct definitions of types of assessment so that educators and stakeholders have a shared understanding of various types of assessments and how they should inform instruction and a layered continuum of support.

Does your state have policy or guidance related to MTSS that incorporates information on the science of reading and/or evidence-based literacy practices?

Yes. The revised NeMTSS framework includes guidance on the science of reading and evidence-based literacy practices.

Does your state have policy or guidance related to instruction and/or professional development?

Yes. NDE staff participates in and collaborates with Learning Forward Nebraska (LFN) – a statewide professional learning organization charged with providing support to staff developers, across the state, in implementing the professional learning standards and elevating the importance of context-specific professional learning for teachers and leaders.

Per Nebraska Revised State Statute section 79-2607, the Nebraska Department of Education shall develop and implement a professional learning system to help provide sustained professional learning and training regarding evidence-based reading instruction for teachers who teach children from four years of age through third grade at an approved or accredited school and teachers employed by an early childhood education program approved by the State Board of Education. The professional learning system shall include information and tips for teachers related to helping children and families work with local family literacy centers to strengthen home and family literacy programs and better instruct children in reading. Approved or accredited elementary schools and early childhood education programs approved by the State Board of Education shall ensure that teachers who teach children from four years of age through third grade are aware of the professional learning system and are adequately trained regarding evidence-based reading instruction to effectively instruct students in reading.

Through this legislation, the State Department of Education shall work with educational service units to provide regional coaches to approved or accredited elementary schools to provide assistance and job-embedded training relating to evidence-based reading instruction to teachers who teach students in kindergarten through third grade.

Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading?

Yes. The Nebraska WORDS Project was developed by faculty at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in collaboration with partners at the Nebraska Department of Education and the Nebraska MTSS initiative. Several Nebraska districts are participating in the WORDS Project and are receiving sustained support and professional learning for kindergarten through third grade (K-3) teachers in order for them to deliver effective reading instruction and assessment.

The WORDS project has also worked to create a guidance document for Approved Nebraska Reading Improvement Act Assessments. In current state, it helps to provide the NDE with comparisons and selections. The WORDS project is working on creating a district accessible version to help make informed assessment decisions.

The Nebraska MTSS statewide network offers Lexia LETRS® as a professional learning opportunity for educators interested in gaining knowledge and developing instructional methods in the science of reading. Two cohorts will begin this fall featuring all-virtual training sessions so statewide accessibility is ensured. Lexia LETRS 2023-2024 Professional Learning Opportunity.

The University of Nebraska-Omaha is piloting a Literacy Workshop series for Nebraska educators. Foundational Skills of Early Literacy is a 5-session workshop that builds knowledge and instructional practices focused on early literacy foundational skills. With a focus on the components of foundational skills—print concepts, phonological awareness, phonics, automatic word recognition, and fluency—participants will be able to identify concrete strategies to support student learning and practice. The workshop helps to build knowledge and skills of evidence-based early literacy instruction and provides resources to support K-3 educators’ planning and instruction.

Has your state reviewed standards for alignment to the science of reading?

Yes. Nebraska’s Revised 2021 College- and Career-Ready Standards for English Language Arts have an updated K-5 Foundations of Reading strand that has a much stronger alignment to the science of reading than prior (2014) standards.

The NDE has also provided a Key Instructional Shifts for ELA that defines the roles of educators in providing instruction that is aligned to the standards and evidence-based practices.

Please describe any other standards work related to the science of reading with links, where applicable

The NDE worked in collaboration with Educational Service Unit (ESU) staff developers and ELA educators to develop 2021 ELA Standards Rollout Resources, which includes a series of learning modules to accompany the revised standards. The series provides information and resources about foundational skills and standards-aligned instruction and materials.

Does your state have guidance or resources for families related to the science of reading?

Yes. The NebraskaREADS website has tools and resources for families. The Read-At-Home Plan for Student Success is a widely accessed resource that is available in six languages. It provides at-home activities that are organized by phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The Nebraska Department of Education also released NebraskaREADS: Summer Reading Adventure. This document includes carefully crafted early literacy resources to make learning fun over the summer months.

Do you have policy or guidance regarding how to leverage evidence-based practices to support secondary students?

Yes. The NDE, in partnership with TNTP, offers Foundational Literacy for Grades 6-12 for secondary educators. Participants complete 6 online modules and attend a 2-day in-person capstone workshop. Foundational Literacy for Grades 6-12.

The NDE, in collaboration with Student Achievement Partners, provided a mini-course entitled Improving Reading for Older Students. Through special funding, this mini-course was provided to all 17 of our Educational Service Units throughout Nebraska. There are two ESU content specialists, plus myself, endorsed in the training. IROS Course

The NDE provides a collection of practice guides that include supporting secondary learners using evidence-based practices. Evidence-Based Practice Guide Summaries

Does your state have state-developed guidance documents or training courses related to the science of reading and Multilingual learners?

Yes. The NDE’S collection of Practice Guide Summaries includes several resources such as screening for multi-lingual learners, effective interventions, vocabulary instruction, and academic English.

Does your state have licensure or program approval criteria to ensure Educator Preparation Programs are aligned to the science of reading?

Yes. Proposed revisions to the Nebraska Department of Education’s Rule 20: Regulations for the Approval of Teacher Educator Programs, may include, under section 005.02H Instructional Strategies, that teacher candidates support student reading and writing skills “through the application of the science of reading.”

Do you have a “contact us” website that we can share publicly on TRL Compass?

NebraskREADS website: https://www.education.ne.gov/nebraskareads/

English Language Arts Education website: https://www.education.ne.gov/ela/

Please describe and link to any other work you would like to share that relates to the science of reading

Nebraska’s State Board of Education has supported systemic efforts to improve early literacy and has encouraged local school districts to establish policies that promote early literacy instruction based on the science of reading with an Early Literacy Position Statement.

Use the interactive state map to find descriptions of state-level policy adoption, guidance, and practices related to the science of reading. State policy may include legislation incorporating training or practices related to the science of reading or state education agency guidance regarding policy, professional development, curricula, instruction, or assessment.

Filter by specific topic area(s) to find state-specific work: 

The Reading League expresses gratitude to our collaborators and associates within the state education agencies for sharing their state-specific data. This data will undergo semi-annual updates, contingent upon the availability and resources of the respective state agencies. For any inquiries, clarifications, or updates, please reach out to compass@thereadingleague.org.