LB 417 — Provide for administration of the Nebraska Promise Program by the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska, adopt the College Promise Act, and change provisions relating to the Quality Education Accountability Act
Last action — Indefinitely postponed
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✓Introduced
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2In Committee
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3Passed Legislature
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4To Executive
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5Enacted
This bill is in committee in the Legislature. Introduced January 17, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the Legislature.
Prognosis
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In Committee
Current position in the legislative process.
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3 sponsors
1 primary, 2 co-sponsors signed on.
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Failed a recorded vote
Failed 2 recorded votes so far — a real headwind.
Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.
Bill Text
What changed in the latest version
21 added · 351 removedPlain-language change summary
The amendments to LB 417 allow the University of Nebraska's Board of Regents to decide whether to run the Nebraska Promise Program if the Federal Pell Grant Program is not available for a particular academic year. This change is significant because it provides flexibility for the university in managing financial aid programs, ensuring students receive timely information about potential impacts on funding. Additionally, it clarifies that if any part of the law is found to be invalid, the rest will still stand, which helps maintain the integrity of the remaining provisions.
AM748 AM748 LB417 LB417 2025LPB LEGISLATURE- OF03/24/2025 NEBRASKALPB ONE- HUNDRED03/24/2025 NINTHAMENDMENTS LEGISLATURETO FIRSTLB417 SESSION LEGISLATIVE BILL 417 Introduced by Bostar,Education. 29.
Read1. Insert firstthe timefollowing Januarynew 17,sections: 2025 Committee:
Education A BILL FOR AN ACT relating to education;
to amend sections 79-760.03 and 79-760.05, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska;
to provide powers and duties to the Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska to administer the Nebraska Promise Program;
to adopt the College Promise Act;
to change provisions relating to the Quality Education Accountability Act and national assessments;
to harmonize provisions;
to provide operative dates;
to repeal the original sections;
and to declare an emergency.
Be it enacted by the people of the State of Nebraska, -1- LB417 LB417 2025 Section 1.
(1) For purposes of this section, Nebraska Promise Program means a program at the University of Nebraska that covers undergraduate tuition costs for eligible students of up to fifteen credit hours per semester and thirty credit hours per academic year, after Federal Pell Grant funds and other grants and scholarships are subtracted, at any of the University of Nebraska's campuses or at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture.
(2) The Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska shall administer the Nebraska Promise Program.
(3)(a) To be eligible for the Nebraska Promise Program, a student shall:
(i) Be a Nebraska resident;
(ii) Have a family income of less than sixty-five thousand dollars per year as determined pursuant to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant;
and (iii) Be registered as a full-time undergraduate student at the University of Nebraska or at the Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture taking at least twelve credit hours per academic semester or the equivalent.
(b) To remain eligible for the Nebraska Promise Program, a student shall comply with all requirements of the University of Nebraska for program eligibility and shall maintain a grade point average of at least two and one-half on a four-point scale or its equivalent.
SectionsDuring 2any academic year in which the Federal Pell Grant Program is not available to 7students, the Board of thisRegents actof shallthe beUniversity knownof andNebraska may bechoose citednot asto administer the CollegeNebraska Promise Act.Program as described in section 1 of this act for such academic year.
The Board of Regents shall provide notice to students prior to each academic year in a manner prescribed by the board regarding the availability of the Nebraska Promise Program for the upcoming academic year.
3.
For purposes of the College Promise Act:
(1) Community college has the same meaning as in section 85-1503;
and (2) State college means a public postsecondary educational institution which is part of the Nebraska state college system.
Sec.
4.
(1) A student shall be entitled to a waiver of one hundred -2- LB417 LB417 2025 percent of the resident tuition charges of any community college or state college in Nebraska if the student:
(a) Is a Nebraska resident;
and (b) Has a family income of less than sixty-five thousand dollars per year as determined pursuant to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.
(2) To remain eligible for a tuition waiver, a student shall comply with all requirements of the community college or state college for continued attendance and award of an associate degree or baccalaureate degree and maintain a grade point average of at least two and one-half on a four-point scale or its equivalent.
A student may receive the tuition waiver for up to two years at a community college or four years at a state college.
The two-year or four-year eligibility starts once the student applies for and receives the tuition waiver for the first time.
Sec.
5.
(1) A student shall include verification of the eligibility requirements on forms and in a manner prescribed by the community college or state college when applying to such community college or state college in order to receive the tuition waiver.
Within forty-five days after receipt of a completed application, the community college or state college shall send written notice of the student's eligibility or ineligibility for the tuition waiver.
If the student is determined to not be eligible for the tuition wavier, the notice shall include the reason for such determination and an indication that an appeal of the determination may be made pursuant to the appeals process developed by the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education pursuant to section 6 of this act.
(2) If the student is eligible for the waiver, a community college or a state college shall waive one hundred percent of the student's tuition remaining due after subtracting awarded federal financial aid grants and state scholarships.
Sec.
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6.
(1) The Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education -3- LB417 LB417 2025 shall develop an appeals procedure for tuition waiver determinations made pursuant to the College Promise Act.
(2) The commission may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the College Promise Act.
Sec.
7.
(1)(a) On or before June 1 of each year, the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education shall certify the total amount of tuition waived by each of the community colleges and state colleges during the preceding school year pursuant to the College Promise Act and submit such certification to the State Treasurer.
(b) The State Treasurer shall transfer an amount equal to the certified amount submitted by the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education pursuant to this section from the General Fund to the College Promise Fund in ten equal monthly payments beginning in September of the year in which such certification was made and continuing through June.
(2)(a) The Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education shall, from the amount appropriated by the Legislature for such purpose, make distributions to each community college and state college in an amount equal to the total value of all waivers provided by the community college or state college pursuant to the College Promise Act.
The distributions shall be made in ten equal payments distributed monthly beginning in September and continuing through June.
The community colleges shall receive no payments during the months of July and August.
(b) If the amount appropriated does not equal the total value of all waivers provided by the community college or state college pursuant to the College Promise Act, a community college or state college shall not provide additional waivers pursuant to the act in any future school year until the community college or state college has been fully reimbursed for the value of the tuition waivers previously provided pursuant to the College Promise Act.
(3) The College Promise Fund is created.
The Coordinating Commission -4- LB417 LB417 2025 for Postsecondary Education shall administer the fund to provide distributions to community colleges and state colleges pursuant to this section.
The fund shall consist of transfers pursuant to this section and as authorized by the Legislature.
It is the intent of the Legislature to fully fund the College Promise Fund each year in an amount equal to the total value of tuition waivers provided by the community colleges and state colleges pursuant to the College Promise Act.
Any money in the fund available for investment shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.
Sec.
8.
Section 79-760.03, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is amended to read:
79-760.03 (1) For school year 2009-10 and each school year thereafter, the State Board of Education shall implement a statewide system for the assessment of student learning and for reporting the performance of school districts and learning communities pursuant to this section.
The assessment and reporting system shall measure student knowledge of subject matter materials covered by measurable academic content standards selected by the state board.
(2) The state board shall adopt a plan for an assessment and reporting system and implement and maintain the assessment and reporting system according to such plan.
The plan shall be submitted annually to the State Department of Education, the Governor, the chairperson of the Education Committee of the Legislature, and the Clerk of the Legislature.
The plan submitted to the committee and the Clerk of the Legislature shall be submitted electronically.
The state board shall select grade levels for assessment and reporting required pursuant to subsections (4) through (7) of this section.
The purposes of the system are to:
(a) Determine how well public schools are performing in terms of achievement of public school students related to the state academic content standards;
-5- LB417 LB417 2025 (b) Report the performance of public schools based upon the results of state assessment instruments and national assessment instruments;
(c) Provide information for the public and policymakers on the performance of public schools;
and (d) Provide for the comparison among Nebraska public schools and the comparison of Nebraska public schools to public schools elsewhere.
(3) The Governor shall appoint a technical advisory committee to review (a) the statewide assessment plan, (b) state assessment instruments, and (c) the accountability system developed under the Quality Education Accountability Act.
The technical advisory committee shall consist of three nationally recognized experts in educational assessment and measurement, one administrator from a school in Nebraska, and one teacher from a school in Nebraska.
The members shall serve terms of three years, except that two of the members shall be appointed for initial terms of two years.
Any vacancy shall be filled by the Governor for the remainder of the term.
One of the members shall be designated as chairperson by the Governor.
Members shall be reimbursed for expenses as provided in sections 81-1174 to 81-1177.
The committee shall advise the Governor, the state board, and the State Department of Education on the development of statewide assessment instruments and the statewide assessment plan.
The appointments to the committee shall be confirmed by the Legislature.
(4) Through school year 2016-17, the state board shall prescribe a statewide assessment of writing that relies on writing samples in each of three grades selected by the state board.
Each year at least one of the three selected grades shall participate in the statewide writing assessment with each selected grade level participating at least once every three years.
(5) For school year 2009-10 and for each school year thereafter, the state board shall prescribe a statewide assessment of reading.
The statewide assessment of reading shall include assessment instruments for -6- LB417 LB417 2025 each of the grade levels three through eight and for one grade in high school and standards adopted by the state board pursuant to section 79-760.01.
For school year 2017-18 and each school year thereafter, the statewide assessment of reading shall include a component of writing as determined by the state board.
(6) For no later than school year 2010-11 and for each school year thereafter, the state board shall prescribe a statewide assessment of mathematics.
The statewide assessment of mathematics shall include assessment instruments for each of the grade levels three through eight and for one grade in high school and standards adopted by the state board pursuant to section 79-760.01.
(7) For no later than school year 2011-12 and each school year thereafter, the state board shall prescribe a statewide assessment of science.
The statewide assessment of science shall include assessment instruments for each of the grade levels selected by the state board and standards adopted by the state board pursuant to section 79-760.01.
The grade levels shall include at least one grade in elementary school, one grade in middle school or junior high school, and one grade in high school.
(8) The department shall conduct studies to verify the technical quality of assessment instruments and demonstrate the comparability of assessment instrument results required by the Quality Education Accountability Act act.
The department shall annually report such findings to the Governor, the Legislature, and the state board.
The report submitted to the Legislature shall be submitted electronically.
(9) The state board shall recommend national assessment instruments for the purpose of national comparison.
Beginning with school year 2017-18, the state board shall select a national assessment instrument that is also used as a standard college admission test which shall be administered to students in the eleventh grade in every public high school in each school district.
Each school district shall report -7- LB417 LB417 2025 individual student data for scores and sub-scores according to procedures established by the state board and the department pursuant to section 79-760.05.
(10)(a) Beginning with school year 2025-26, in addition to the national assessment instrument recommended pursuant to subsection (9) of this section, the state board shall recommend nationally recognized, portable career-readiness assessments that lead to a National Career Readiness Certificate.
(b) The option to retake the national assessment instrument that is also used as a standard college admission test administered pursuant to subsection (9) of this section or to take any nationally recognized, portable career-readiness assessments that lead to a National Career Readiness Certificate recommended by the state board pursuant to subdivision (a) of this subsection shall be available to all twelfth- grade public students during the fall semester of a student's twelfth grade year.
Each school district shall report individual student data for scores and sub-scores for any assessment taken pursuant to this subsection according to the procedures established by the state board and the department for assessments pursuant to section 79-760.05.
(c) An assessment described in this subsection shall be administered to any student that opts to take such assessment at no cost to such student.
(11) (10) The aggregate results of assessment instruments and national assessment instruments shall be reported by the district on a building basis to the public in that district, to the learning community coordinating council if such district is a member of a learning community, and to the department.
Each learning community shall also report the aggregate results of any assessment instruments and national assessment instruments to the public in that learning community and to the department.
The department shall report the aggregate results of any assessment instruments and national assessment instruments on a learning -8- LB417 LB417 2025 community, district, and building basis as part of the statewide assessment and reporting system.
(12)(a) (11)(a) The assessment and reporting plan shall:
(i) Provide for the confidentiality of the results of individual students;
and (ii) Include all public schools and all public school students.
(b) The state board shall adopt criteria for the inclusion of students with disabilities, students entering the school for the first time, and students with limited English proficiency.
The department may determine appropriate accommodations for the assessment of students with disabilities or any student receiving special education programs and services pursuant to section 79-1139.
Alternate academic achievement standards in reading, mathematics, and science and alternate assessment instruments aligned with the standards may be among the accommodations for students with severe cognitive disabilities.
(13) (12) The state board may select additional grade levels, subject areas, or assessment instruments for statewide assessment consistent with federal requirements.
(14) (13) The state board shall not require school districts to administer assessments or assessment instruments which are not consistent with the Quality Education Accountability Act act.
(15) (14) The state board may appoint committees of teachers, from each appropriate subject area, and administrators to assist in the development of statewide assessment instruments required by the act.
Sec.
9.
Section 79-760.05, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, is amended to read:
79-760.05 (1) The State Board of Education shall implement a statewide system for tracking individual student achievement, using the student identifier system of the State Department of Education, that can be aggregated to track student progress by demographic characteristics, including, but not limited to, race, poverty, high mobility, attendance, -9- LB417 LB417 2025 and limited English proficiency, on available measures of student achievement which include, but need not be limited to, national assessment instruments, state assessment instruments, and the indicators used in the accountability system required pursuant to section 79-760.06.
Such a system shall be designed so as to aggregate student data by available educational input characteristics, which may include class size, teacher education, teacher experience, special education, early childhood programs, federal programs, and other targeted education programs.
School districts shall provide the department with individual student achievement data from assessment instruments required or voluntarily taken pursuant to section 79-760.03 in order to implement the statewide system.
(2)(a) On or before August 1, 2022, the state board shall also implement a statewide system for tracking individual student discipline, using the student identifier system of the department, that can be aggregated to track student discipline by type of discipline and demographic characteristics, including, but not limited to, race, poverty, high mobility, attendance, disability, and limited English proficiency.
The state board shall cause each school district to report, by individual student, any:
(i) Act resulting in an in-school suspension, a short-term suspension, a long-term suspension, a one-semester expulsion, a two- semester expulsion, an assignment to an alternative school or alternative-learning program, the use of physical intervention with such student, or the restraint or seclusion of such student;
(ii) Offense constituting grounds for a long-term suspension, an expulsion, or a mandatory reassignment pursuant to section 79-267, regardless of consequences assigned;
and (iii) Act resulting in law enforcement involvement, including any incident reported to law enforcement or to an onsite school resource officer, and any school-related citation or arrest.
-10- LB417 LB417 2025 (b) For purposes of this subsection, school-related citation or arrest shall include a citation or arrest of a student for any activity conducted on school grounds;
in a vehicle owned, leased, or contracted by a school being used for a school purpose or in a vehicle being driven for a school purpose by a school employee or by such employee's designee;
or at a school-sponsored activity or athletic event.
(c) The system for tracking individual student discipline may also be used to record other disciplinary incidents.
(d) Each school shall designate at least one discipline data coordinator for the purposes of gathering and reporting the discipline data required pursuant to this subsection.
(3) The department shall annually analyze and report on student achievement and on student discipline for the state, each school district, each public school, and each learning community aggregated by the demographic characteristics described in subsection (1) of this section.
The department shall report the findings to the Governor, the Legislature, school districts, educational service units, and each learning community.
The report submitted to the Legislature shall be submitted electronically.
Such analysis shall include aggregated data that would indicate differences in achievement and differences in student discipline due to available educational input characteristics described in subsection (1) of this section.
Such analysis shall include indicators of progress toward state achievement goals for students in poverty, limited English proficient students, students with disabilities, and highly mobile students.
Sec.
10.
Sections 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 of this act become operative three calendar months after the adjournment of this legislative session.
The other sections of this act become operative on their effective date.
Sec.
11.
Original sections 79-760.03 and 79-760.05, Reissue Revised Statutes of Nebraska, are repealed.
-11- LB417 LB417 2025 Sec.
SinceIf anany emergencysection exists,in this act takesor effectany whenpart passedof andany approvedsection accordingis todeclared law.invalid or unconstitutional, the declaration shall not affect the validity or constitutionality of the remaining portions.
-12-2.
On page 2, line 1, after "section" insert "and section 2 of this act";
and in line 8 strike "The" and insert "Subject to section 2 of this act, the".
3. On page 11, line 26, strike "and 7" and insert "7, and 8".
4.
Renumber the remaining sections and correct internal references accordingly.
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Action History
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Indefinitely postponed
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Provisions/portions of LB417 amended into LB937 by AM2454
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Education AM748 adopted
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Failed to advance to Enrollment and Review Initial
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Title printed. Carryover bill
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Placed on General File with AM748
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Education AM748 filed
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Juarez name added
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Notice of hearing for February 18, 2025
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Referred to Education Committee
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Conrad name added
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Date of introduction
Sponsors
- Margo Juarez · Cosponsor
- Eliot Bostar · Primary
- Danielle Conrad · Cosponsor
Sponsorship breakdown
Export CSV (upgrade) →1 sponsors · 2 co-sponsors · 46 not signed on · 25 voted No
Sponsors (1)
Co-sponsors (2)
Not signed on (46)
46 members have not signed on to this bill.
Show all 46 →"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.
Votes
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 18 | 25 | 0 | 6 |
| Total | 18 | 25 | 0 | 6 |
| % of votes cast | 37% | 51% | 0% | 12% |
How each member voted (49)
| Party | Yea | Nay | Present | Not Voting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unaffiliated | 25 | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 25 | 19 | 0 | 5 |
| % of votes cast | 51% | 39% | 0% | 10% |
How each member voted (49)
Subjects
Frequently asked questions
- Who sponsors LB 417?
- LB 417 is sponsored by Margo Juarez, Eliot Bostar, and Danielle Conrad.
- What is the current status of LB 417?
- This bill is in committee in the Legislature. Introduced January 17, 2025. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
- Where can I track LB 417?
- Track LB 417 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.
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