Retention bonuses, student loan forgiveness and alternative certification are just some of the proposed solutions lawmakers are pondering to address Nebraska's teacher shortage.
The Legislature's Education Committee reviewed a series of bills Monday that offered creative ideas for fixing a stubborn workforce problem that's forcing schools to leave positions vacant.
One of the more ambitious proposals was Sen. Lynne Walz's LB519, which would eliminate teacher certification fees, disburse millions in one-time retention bonuses and create a loan forgiveness program for student teachers.
"I know it's a pretty significant piece of legislation, but I think it's going to take a pretty significant piece of legislation to help us get the results that we need when it comes to our teacher shortage," Walz said.
Under the bill, the state would split $35 million in general fund dollars for one-time bonuses to eligible school employees throughout the state, a number lawmakers estimated to be about 80,000.
Walz's legislation would also allow prospective educators to apply for up to $8,500 in forgivable loans each year as they're student teaching. The loans would be forgiven over four years if the teacher stays in the state, or over two years if they teach in a rural or low-income Nebraska school.
The number of loans that can be forgiven under the Attract Excellence Teaching Program would also increase for the first time in years.
Additionally, the Nebraska Department of Education would stop collecting fees for first-time certification and renewals that critics consider an unnecessary financial hoop already-underpaid teachers must leap through. Public school applicants pay $75, while nonpublic candidates pay $55.
The proposals come as Nebraska schools report an increase in unfilled positions as districts navigate the aftereffects of the pandemic. The number of districts reporting positions that were left vacant or filled by an unqualified person rose from 482 in 2021 to 768 in 2022, according to an NDE survey of 402 public and nonpublic schools.
"The fire alarm is ringing," said Omaha Public Schools Superintendent Cheryl Logan, who testified in support of Walz's bill. "We are moving to a point where it won't matter how we move things around, there will be children who don't have a teacher."
Other solutions senators mulled Monday included Elkhorn Sen. Lou Ann Linehan's LB603, which would create an alternative certification pathway for prospective teachers.
The bill would allow those with a bachelor's degree to earn a teacher's license from an alternate program that's existed for at least 10 years in five states, like the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence, an online program initially started by the U.S. Department of Education.
Candidates would have to pass subject and pedagogy exams similar to the Praxis before being certified, but would not be required to have field experience. The programs are markedly cheaper: American Board charges just a $1,500 one-time fee.
Melanie Olmstead, executive director of the program, said alternate certification is not about lowering the bar and said the program produces educators who are of the same quality as traditional students.
"It's trying to give principals five or six applicants for one position as opposed to zero," Olmstead said.
Sara Skretta, certification officer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln representing the Nebraska Association of Colleges for Teacher Education, called the bill's contents "duplicative," however. The state already offers alternative certification, Skretta said, and adding more programs to the list won't increase the number of applicants.
The bill, Skretta and other critics said, also seemed designed for very specific out-of-state certification programs, prompting Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln to question its legal permissibility.
Tim Royers, president of the Millard Education Association, said the alternative certificates like those offered by American Board offer no relevant pedagogical experience.
"... This bill is intended to allow already identified companies to profit off of our teacher shortage," he said.
Sen. Justin Wayne, however, said many people — like those in his North Omaha district — bring many life experiences that can't be gained by a college degree or traditional pedagogy.
The Education Committee also heard Linehan's bill (LB385) that would establish the Nebraska Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act. The proposed law would dole out $5,000 retention grants to new teachers over the course of their first few years on the job.
A teacher starting in the fall would be eligible for the yearly grant through the 2026-27 school year. Payments are also available to teachers who will be in their second or third year.
Grants would also be available for educators who complete certification in hard-to-fill areas, like special education, STEM and dual-credit courses.
While testifiers were generally supportive, some questioned a "cliff effect" when the fund dries up as well as supporting more veteran teachers with bonuses, too.
Omaha Westside Superintendent Mike Lucas said his district has used stipends to great success, even if his district has dodged the worse of the shortage.
"LB385 is definitely a step in the right direction."
Other education notes:
Earlier in the day, the committee reviewed a pair of bills targeting special education funding and interstate teacher certification.
Under LB324 from Sen. Anna Wishart of Lincoln, the state would fund 60% of school districts' special education services by 2024 and 80% by 2028. The bill, which Wishart has put forward in past sessions, drew support from a number of groups, including Lincoln Public Schools and the Nebraska Catholic Conference.
The state's share of special education funding has hovered just below 50%, while costs have skyrocketed over the past decade.
Special education funding is also included in Gov. Jim Pillen's package of education finance reform bills. One of those bills — Sen. Rita Sanders' LB583 — would cover 80% of special education funding using state and federal dollars, on top of the funding already provided for equalized districts.
Meanwhile, a bill from Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue (LB413) would adopt an interstate teacher licensure compact, allowing educators to easily transfer their license to other compact states and lowering barriers to teacher mobility.
The agreement would also create a database between states to better share information, such as teacher disciplinary records. No other states have adopted the pact although there is legislation pending in border states Colorado and Kansas.
Photos: The business of governing in Nebraska in 2023