Nebraska Department of Education provides update on national issues, state mental health training funds

State education officials are keeping an eye on national conversations about the U.S. Department of Education.

Reports show President Donald Trump is drafting an executive order to direct the new education secretary to dismantle the federal department, although it would take an act of Congress to officially close it.

Nebraska Department of Education Commissioner Brian Maher said at the State Board of Education meeting Friday that the state department won’t panic about what could happen and will make changes when needed.

“We know essentially the same thing we know today that we knew yesterday that we knew last week, and we haven’t changed any of our operations as a result of anything changing in Washington,” Maher said.

He added that most education policy is decided in local school districts, and the Nebraska Department of Education’s role is to enforce state and federal funds and laws.

Maher also updated board members on grant money for school staff mental health training. The board failed to approve the disbursement of almost $200,000 in those funds at their February meeting. The Nebraska legislature initially allocated the funds last year.

The money would have gone to five school districts and two education service units to implement Mental Health First Aid training for teachers and school staff.

Maher said he’s connected with school districts on what’s worked for supporting student mental health, recognizing the difference between teachers and licensed mental health practitioners and listening to members of the public.

“If I find the solution that works best for Nebraska’s kids and fits the letter of the law and meets substantially with what I’ve heard in the last month, I’ll bring that to you for further vetting or at least for your consideration,” Maher said. “If I cannot, I’ll move on to other topics.”

Board member Kirk Penner, who voted against granting the money last month, discussed several requests for implementing these funds.

“The asks that I have are to define mental health whether it’s statute, define what screening is, address surveys, make sure it’s sustainable, measurable, do not add load to our already overwhelmed teachers and the involvement of parents,” Penner said.

No other board members shared their thoughts. Maher said he’s looking for further discussion from the board and the public on these funds.

With the Nebraska Legislature in session, the NDE and the State Board of Education take stances on certain bills. Board Vice President Deborah Neary discussed concerns that other board members were taking individual stances on bills that contradicted the board’s stance and confused state legislators on where the board stood.

“This is not at all about anybody’s legal rights of free speech,” Neary said. “It’s about ethical standards that are pretty much in practice across the county and across the state of Nebraska.”

Board member Lisa Schonhoff read two emails from Neary during two Support Our School Nebraska petition drives to repeal school choice legislation. Neary said those emails were different because the State Board of Education did not take a stance on those school choice bills.

Board President Elizabeth Tegtmeier said she sent an email about a bill to several state senators that was not an official comment on the bill. She urged board members to follow board policy and ensure they include a statement that they do not speak for the whole board when sharing their own opinions.

Several theater educators returned to ask the board to increase the requirements to become a theater teacher. The group initially made the request at the January board meeting, and brought the matter to the board again during public comment.

Currently, theater and speech teachers are only required to get a supplemental endorsement. This means college students wanting to become theater and speech teachers must major in a different subject while taking theater classes on the side. The group of educators want to change that to a subject endorsement that would allow students to focus their main major on theater education.

Ryan Kathman, theater professor at Nebraska Wesleyan, said increasing the endorsement level would improve teacher preparation in theater and encourage more college students to pursue theater in their education.

“As much benefits as there are to every other activity a student can do, I find there’s nothing that quite combines them all — not only the artistic expression, creativity required for theater — but its physical engagement, using your body…the technical skills required for building sets and costumes,” Kathman said. “The list goes on of all the things, of all the potential benefits no matter where life takes somebody who’s studying theater and speech.”

The State Board of Education is set to meet next on April 4.