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The Nebraska Board of Education passed the Nebraska Literacy Project earlier this year on February 5, 2025, which means all teachers who teach third-grade or lower will undergo literacy training.
The Nebraska Literacy Project was a plan made to expand on the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act passed in 2018, a state law requiring the Nebraska Department of Education to implement a system of professional learning to ensure all kindergarten to third-grade teachers are adequately trained in evidence-based reading instruction.
“I think it’s very important that every teacher has the best information available to help each student learn to read,” Nebraska Literacy Project Regional Literacy Coach and former HPS teacher Allyson DenBeste said.
Teachers receive training from literacy coaches from the Nebraska Educational Service Units, so they are better equipped to teach young students.
“I will hold our Nebraska teachers up against any other states. We have excellent teachers in this state.” DenBeste said.
Nebraska elementary public schools must administer a reading screener assessment three times a year for the students, with some exceptions, including kids on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or English learners who have been in the country less than two years.
“I feel like if we have a strong curriculum, we [will be] able to help the kids become stronger readers,” Alcott Elementary School third-grade teacher MaShayla Burnet said.
Students falling under a specific score in the reading screener is enough cause for a school to put them on individual learning plans.
“I do feel that reading scores overall are sometimes lower, and so if we’re focusing on the basic components of reading, then I feel like we’ll make good progress, which is great,” Burnet said.
The project was devised to make a roadmap and system of support that aims to help teachers properly teach students one one-on-one.
“I feel like the plan overall is a good idea. For us to move in that direction and have a goal for our whole state is a good idea,” Burnet said.
