Dear Members of the Education Committee:
This submission is in opposition to LB340. It is scheduled for a hearing on March 7, 2023.
LPS opposes LB340 because it would require a substantial financial investment by school districts to fulfill the requirements of the bill for high school students, but it does not provide any state financial support. Legislative Bill 340 would change the requirements for districts’ alternative programs for expelled students from individualized programs providing the opportunity to continue work on credits toward graduation to programs that provide direct instruction in courses as well as expand the offerings in alternative programs to include all academic work the student could previously access at their comprehensive schools.
Nebraska Department of Education identifies the following subjects as having academic content and provides learning standards for them: English, math, social studies, science, fine arts, physical education, health education, and world languages, as well as course-based standards for Career and Technical Education.
The term direct instruction refers to instructional approaches that are structured, sequenced, and led by teachers. To work as a secondary school teacher in Nebraska, teachers must earn certification in a content area for grades 7-12 and complete a BA in an approved education program.
Currently, students attending alternative education programs have individualized programs focused on courses that fulfill graduation requirements. They are often taught online. Individualized courses allow students to work at their own pace and make progress both inside of the classroom and outside the classroom. The ability to offer a focused number of courses through individualized programs makes it possible for districts to efficiently and effectively provide learning opportunities and classrooms for students and staff.
Under LB340, comprehensive high schools with a wide range of academic offerings would face dramatically increased expenses. The district would need to:
- Develop individualized versions for all of the courses in their course catalogs within English, math, social studies, science, fine arts, physical education, health education, and world languages, as well as course-based standards for Career and Technical Education departments.
- Add sufficient physical spaces to facilitate direct instruction within individualized programs for students for the increased number of course selections.
- Hire the number of teachers with the required certificates to provide direct instruction for individualized programs across the full catalog of academic courses accessible to high school students prior to expulsion.
