NEBRASKA
A comprehensive overview of Nebraska's enacted legislation, regulations, certification requirements, and state-provided resources related to dyslexia education.
BRIEF SUMMARY
Nebraska requires early screening for students, structured intervention plans, and teacher training in evidence-based reading instruction. Schools must maintain communication with families about their child’s progress.
NEBRASKA LEGISLATIONS AND REGULATIONS
1. Nebraska LB645 (2017)
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Summary: This bill added the definition of dyslexia to state education statute Section 79-1118.01.
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How This Affects Families and Educators: Provides a clear, legally recognized definition of dyslexia, ensuring consistent understanding and application across educational settings.
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More: Nebraska LB645
2. Nebraska Revised Statute 79-1118.01
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Summary: Defines dyslexia as a specific learning disability that is neurobiological in origin, characterized by difficulties with accurate or fluent word recognition, poor spelling, and decoding abilities, typically resulting from a deficit in the phonological component of language.
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How This Affects Families and Educators: Provides a clear, legally recognized definition of dyslexia in Nebraska schools, ensuring consistent understanding and identification.
3. Nebraska Revised Statute 79-2603
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Summary: This statute requires school districts to administer approved reading assessments three times a year to students in kindergarten through grade three, with some exceptions.
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How This Affects Families and Educators: Ensures early identification of reading difficulties, including dyslexia, allowing for timely interventions.
4. Nebraska Revised Statute 79-2605
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Summary: Requires each school district to provide a supplemental reading intervention program for students struggling to reading. The program must be implemented during regular school hours in addition to regular reading instruction, and should include evidence-based practices, diagnostic assessments, frequent progress monitoring, and may also include summer sessions or after-school programs to ensure reading proficiency by the end of third grade.
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How This Affects Families and Educators: Ensures students with reading difficulties receive additional support; mandates evidence-based interventions; and requires progress monitoring and adjustment of instruction based on student needs.
5. Nebraska Revised Statute 79-2606
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Summary: Requires schools to notify families or guardians within 15 working days if a student is identified as having a reading deficiency. An individualized reading improvement plan must be established within 30 days of identification.
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How This Affects Families and Educators: Ensures timely communication with families and prompt intervention for students struggling with reading.
6. Nebraska Revised Statute 79-11,156
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Summary: This statute requires that students identified as exhibiting characteristics of dyslexia receive evidence-based structured literacy instruction using a multisensory approach. Schools are not allowed to require a medical diagnosis for a student to receive this intervention.
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How This Affects Families and Educators: Mandates specific instructional approaches for students with dyslexia, ensuring they receive appropriate support.
7. Nebraska Revised Statute 79-11,157.01
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Summary: Requires school districts to annually report to the State Department of Education information relating to dyslexia, including the number of students tested for specific learning disabilities in reading, identified as having a reading issue, and showing growth on reading measures.
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How This Affects Families and Educators: This ensures transparency in how students with reading challenges, including dyslexia, are being identified and supported. The data collected will help inform legislative decisions and improve targeted interventions for struggling readers.
TEACHER CERTIFICATION AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS
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Nebraska requires the State Department of Education must implement a professional learning system to provide sustained training on evidence-based reading instruction for teachers of children aged 4 through third grade. This system includes resources to support home and family literacy programs.
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The State Department of Education may provide technical assistance to school boards in implementing the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act.
MORE NEBRASKA STATE RESOURCES
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