Blog
Panel Will Study Early Childhood Workforce Shortage in Nebraska
FFN Director Becky Veak is serving on a Buffett Early Childhood Institute commission to develop a comprehensive plan for expanding and strengthening Nebraska's early childhood workforce. The group includes leaders from state government, higher education, public schools, child care, health care, advocacy, philanthropy, practitioners and the business community.
LB335 Would Freeze Child Care Provider Subsidy Reimbursement Rates
Nation’s Governors Make Early Childhood a Priority
Governors made early childhood education a priority at their recent annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Early childhood was discussed during the opening session, with emphasis on how quality education in a child’s most formative years can help build economic strength and yield social benefits for our communities.
It’s Read Across America Day
Today is a reminder that making reading to children a priority prepares them for success in school and later in life.
Education Committee to Hold Hearing on School Funding Bill
Nebraska Legislation to Watch
Nebraska senators introduced nearly 700 bills in the first 10 days of the current legislative session. Of those, we’ve identified six as priority bills and 90 others that have the potential to impact the earliest years of a child’s life.
Signs of Dyslexia Are Evident in the Early Years, Are Remediable with Intervention
For over 40 years I have researched the origins and development of dyslexia in children beginning with newborn infants and following them through age 13. Our work has shown the clear impacts of speech discrimination skills at birth on the development of language at ages 3 and 5, and subsequent impacts on reading skills at age 8.
Child Care Provider Rates, School Financing, the Budget Among Our Priority Bills
Earlier this month, members of the Nebraska Legislature once again began their important work at the state Capitol.We have identified several bills with potential to affect early childhood and designated them as priorities this legislative session.
Fiscal Analyst Liz Hruska, Senator John Stinner Selected by National Group to Study Early Childhood
State Fiscal Analyst Liz Hruska and Senator John Stinner were selected as National Conference of State Legislatures Early Learning Fellows in 2016.
U.S. Census: 41% of Nebraska’s Children Ages 0-5 are At Risk
Newly released U.S. Census data show 62,729, 41% of Nebraska’s 153,696 children ages 0-5, are “at-risk” of failing at school.
105th Nebraska Legislature, First Session, Convenes
The Nebraska Legislature convened the first session of the 105th Legislature yesterday. Senator Jim Scheer was elected Speaker, replacing Senator Galen Hadley whose term ended in December due to term limits.
A Look Back: Senator Kathy Campbell
Senator Kathy Campbell continues our blog series by term-limited senators looking back over their eight years in the Nebraska Legislature. Thank you for your service to Nebraska Senator Campbell.