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State Accreditation Committee for the Nebraska Department of Education.

General Information
  • Formal Name:
    State Accreditation Committee for the Nebraska Department of Education.
  • Contact Person:
    Freida Lange, Senior Administrator of Accreditation 301 Centennial Mall, S., Lincoln, NE 68509. (402) 471-2444.
  • Purpose:
    A.) Recommend appropriate standards and policies for the accreditation and classification of schools; B.) Make recommendations annually to the Commissioner of Education relative to the accreditation and classification of individual schools.
  • How Many Affectable:
    All accredited school systems in Nebraska, which includes 245 public school districts, 82 nonpublic systems and 5 special purpose schools are affected by the committee.
  • How Many Served:
    Students and Educators within these systems total 383,000 and 23,000 respectively. (Based on the 2015-16 State of the Schools Report.)
  • Year Created:
    Created in 1985.
  • Year Active:
    1985
  • Sunset Date:
    None.
Authorization
  • Authorization Citation:
    Nebraska Revised Statutes Section 79-703(2).
  • Parent Agency:
    Nebraska Department of Education.
Memberships and Meetings
  • Number Of Members:
    22
  • Who Appoints:
    The Commissioner of Education
  • Legislative Approval:
    No
  • Qualifications Of Members:
    Representation of the educational institutions and agencies of the state and shall include as a member the director of admissions of the University of Nebraska.
  • Per Diem:
    No
  • Expense Reimbursement:
    Yes
  • Term Length:
    3 years with terms overlapping
  • Terms Rotate or Expire At Once:
    Terms Rotate
Meetings Required In:
  • Required FY 13-14:
    Determined by need
  • Held FY 13-14:
    2
  • Required FY 14-15:
    Determined by need
  • Held FY 14-15:
    2
  • Required FY 15-16:
    Determined by need
  • Held FY 15-16:
    2
Operations
  • Support Staff:
    The NDE State Accreditation Committee has no staff; NDE employees organize meetings, agendas and minutes as part of their job responsibilities within the Accreditation team.
  • Shared or Separate:
    Shared -- To operate the NDE State Accreditation Committee we allocate $6,500 within the operating budget of the Accreditation team.
  • FY 13-14 Budget:
    $0
  • FY 14-15 Budget:
    $0
  • FY 15-16 Budget:
    $0
  • Other Funding Sources:
    None
  • Spending Authority:
    No spending authority
Accomplishments
  • Since July 1, 2012:
    : The NDE State Accreditation Committee has had eight separate meetings during which time data and updates on educational issues facing Nebraska school districts, public and nonpublic, have been shared. From this dialogue and advisement, the Commissioner of Education and the State Board of Education have reviewed and updated Nebraskas accreditation requirements twice with respective effective dates occurring July 29, 2012, followed by the most recent revision, August 1, 2015. The work of the State Accreditation Committee has supported the following:Institution of Nebraskas accountability system for quality education required by Statute 79-706Updated content standards for Nebraska schoolsInstituted the requirement for CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) to be added to personal health curriculum in high schoolsProvided for more encompassing instructional support for students enrolled in virtual classesProvided clarity specific to guidance and counseling certification requirements for schools and teachers