State Report

Nebraska

Across the country, states are reimagining what high school can be—and Nebraska is among those building the foundation. In this state profile, we both celebrate the work done so far and offer a vision for continued progress.

State Report

Nebraska

Overview

Nebraska has adopted a number of policies that can serve as a launching pad for communities seeking to reimagine high school learning for students. State leaders have created flexibility from seat time requirements, empowering local school systems to adopt performance-based curricula and award credit based on demonstrations of learning. The state has also developed a robust college readiness framework aligned to the critical skills and competencies students need to succeed in a changing workforce. State guidance regarding work-based learning provides school systems with information related to the implementation of high-quality programs that prepare students for the workforce while simultaneously allowing them to earn credit towards graduation.

In 2016, the Nebraska Department of Education launched the Competency Based Education Exploratory Project, which invites school districts to participate in activities designed to help build their understanding of competency-based education, mastery learning, and personalized learning systems. To continue this legacy of local innovation, state leaders could explore opportunities for a statewide initiative with dedicated resources to incentivize community-led high school redesign.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Share your story

We want to hear how high school shaped your path—and how you think it needs to change.

Highlights from Nebraska

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Highlights from Nebraska

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Highlights from Nebraska

Fusce dapibus, tellus ac cursus commodo, tortor mauris condimentum nibh, ut fermentum massa justo sit amet risus.

Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;

Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;

Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;
Nebraska
Nebraska’s economy will add an average of 125,000 job openings annually through 2031, of which 90,000 (72 percent) will be for workers with postsecondary education, including college degrees and workforce credentials.¹
¹ Carnevale, A. P., Smith, N., Van Der Werf, M., & Quinn, M. C. (2023). After everything: Projections of jobs, education, and training requirements through 2031. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/projections2031/#resources
Nebraska
Strong high schools are essential for meeting that demand, which will pay huge dividends to individuals and the state as a whole. Economists estimate that Nebraska’s seven percentage point increase in college degree attainment between 2010 and 2020 will translate into $63 billion in additional net lifetime earnings for the state’s residents.²
² Carnevale, A. P., Strohl, J., Peltier Campbell, K., Guilash, A., Cheah, B., Nyhof, E., & Fix, L. (2024). Learning by degrees: Gains in college degree attainment have enriched the nation and every state, but racial and gender inequality persist. Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/attainmentgains/#resources
Nebraska
In Nebraska and elsewhere in the nation, boosting student achievement will be central to realizing these gains. In 2025, 28 percent of Nebraska seniors graduated ready for college in math and 50 percent did so in English (100 percent of students participated in this year’s ACT).³ 32 percent of Nebraska’s 8th graders (the high school graduating class of 2029) demonstrated proficient math skills on the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) exam, down five percentage points from pre-pandemic levels. 27 percent were proficient in reading.⁴
³ ACT. (2024). Average 2024 ACT test scores by state. https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/scores/average-act-test-scores-by-state.html
⁴ The Nation’s Report Card. (2024). Data tools: State profiles. The National Assessment of Educational Progress. https://www.nationsreportcard.gov/profiles/stateprofile?sfj=NP&chort=2&sub=MAT&sj=&st=AP&year=2024R3
Nebraska
Improving these results is important not only for college readiness, but also for earning power. Better math skills would boost the wages of Nebraska workers by $1,346 annually, totaling $26,923 over a 20-year period. Stronger reading skills would increase their wages by $2,716 per year, adding up to $54,321 over two decades.⁵
⁵ Boser, U. (2020). Education and income: How learning boosts salary. The Learning Agency. https://media.the-learning-agency.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/01151624/white_paper_education_and_the_economy.pdf
Nebraska
A range of studies underscore the role of durable competencies in supporting academic achievement. Their integration with academic coursework strengthens and reinforces the acquisition of knowledge and skills in disciplines like literacy, math, and science.⁶
⁶ Balfanz, R. (2023, September). Centering school connectedness. State Education Standard: The Journal of the National Association of State Boards of Education, 23(3). https://www.nasbe.org/centering-school-connectedness/;

Progress

High school is where America’s future takes shape. Today’s students are tomorrow’s innovators, problem solvers, and leaders—but our schools are still rooted in a century-old model built for the industrial age. As automation and AI transform the job market, too many students leave high school unprepared for what comes next.

Nebraska

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Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data

Mastery-Based Credits

Core Competencies

K-16 Alignment

Community-Led Redesign

Postsecondary Credits

Internships and Apprenticeships

Professional Development

Next-Generation Assessments

Next-Generation Assessments

Success Data