Nebraska literacy bill

Nebraska lawmakers spent weeks debating a bill that would hold some third graders back if they still could not read at grade level. (nebraskalegislature.gov) Legislative Bill 1050 was introduced January 14, 2026, by State Senator Dave Murman at Governor Jim Pillen’s request, and it would amend the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act. The bill says school districts already test reading in kindergarten through third grade three times a year, and it adds a new trigger tied to third-grade proficiency. (nebraskalegislature.gov) Murman’s statement of intent said the measure would identify which third graders read at or above grade level, retain certain students who do not, and require intensive intervention for retained students. The Education Committee summary said the mandatory retention piece would start in the 2027-28 school year. (nebraskalegislature.gov 1) (nebraskalegislature.gov 2) Under current Nebraska law, districts must administer approved reading assessments three times each school year in kindergarten through third grade, with limited exceptions for some English learners, some students in special education, and some students with Section 504 or Americans with Disabilities Act plans. A student who scores below the state threshold is identified as having a reading deficiency. (nebraskalegislature.gov) LB 1050 would go further by creating a separate “persistent reading deficiency” category at the end of third grade and linking it to promotion to fourth grade. The committee statement said the bill also required stronger parent notices, technical assistance from the Nebraska Department of Education, and a test-based student portfolio option to show proficiency. (nebraskalegislature.gov) The debate turned on whether retention helps struggling readers or shifts costs to schools without enough state support. Opponents at the April 8 floor debate said the plan would impose new obligations on districts, while supporters said early reading has to be the top priority in elementary school. (nebraskaexaminer.com) The bill had already cleared first-round debate on March 26 by a 26-10 vote, but it stalled on Select File on April 8. A cloture motion failed 31-4, short of the 33 votes needed to cut off debate, and the measure did not advance. (nebraskalegislature.gov) (nebraskaexaminer.com) The Legislature’s fiscal analyst estimated state costs of $850,000 in fiscal year 2026-27 and $800,000 a year after that, largely tied to new state education work on thresholds, portfolio criteria, and district assistance. A separate appropriation bill, LB 1050A, was introduced March 26 to fund the proposal. (nebraskalegislature.gov 1) (nebraskalegislature.gov 2) The push comes as Nebraska’s fourth-grade reading results remain soft on the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the federal exam often called the Nation’s Report Card. In 2024, Nebraska’s average fourth-grade reading score was 212, compared with 214 nationally, and 58% of Nebraska fourth graders scored at or above Basic, compared with 59% nationally. (nationsreportcard.gov) For now, the state’s existing reading law stays in place: schools keep screening young students, but Nebraska has not adopted the new statewide third-grade retention rule in LB 1050. (nebraskalegislature.gov 1) (nebraskalegislature.gov 2)