Dear Education Committee:
LB1121 is a bill relating to the Nebraska Teacher Recruitment and Retention Act. LB1121 allows for an additional grant of one thousand five hundred dollars upon a teacher’s sixth complete school year at a Nebraska school and has signed a new contract to continue teaching full-time in Nebraska. According to a study found at the link below, 44% of teachers leave the field by the fifth year. While this is a small grant for teachers, the $1,500 grant to teachers agreeing to come back and complete their sixth year comes at a critical moment in their professional lives. It is happening right at the time when they may be making decisions about whether to stay in the profession or not. For some teachers, it may be a symbolic gesture, for others, it will provide the recognition that they need to feel honored by their state, and for still others, it will cover family expenses that are so needed for young professionals and their families. LPS recommends that LB1121 be passed out of Committee and placed on General File for the unique role that it can play in retaining young teachers in the profession.
John P. Neal
Lincoln Public Schools
