Starting a Private School in Nebraska
Regulations, Resources, & Support
Nebraska State Regulations
General Regulations
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In Nebraska, a nonpublic school must be (a) accredited; (b) approved; or (c) receive an exemption from the Commissioner of Education from the requirements for the operation of approved private schools.
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The Nebraska Department of Education has assembled a page of detailed requirements for private schools.
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In Nebraska, “home schools” are referred to as exempt schools and are considered private non-approved and non-accredited schools.
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The US Office of Innovation & Improvement has assembled a summary of regulations for private schools operating in Nebraska.
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The Nebraska DOE has no published requirements for school insurance -- consult a professional for guidance in this area.
State Funding Sources & Support
Nebraska does not provide funding for private education.
Curriculum Requirements
Teacher Certification & Hiring
Accredited and approved schools must have certified teachers. Schools that are not accredited or approved do not have to have certified teachers, but do need to be able to prove subject area competence through some other means.
Food Services / Lunch
In Nebraska, school lunch requirements, including funding for schools offering the National School Lunch Program, are managed by the Department of Education.
Length of School Year
A school year must be no less than 1,032 instructional hours for elementary school and 1,080 instructional hours for high school. Kindergarten’s school term must be at least 400 clock hours.
Recordkeeping & Reports
Schools must maintain student enrollment and attendance records. These reports must be passed along to the state each year.
Healthy & Safety Requirements
Schools must get immunization records or documentation of medical or religious exemption from all students. Approved or accredited schools must conduct monthly fire drills.
Transportation
School boards providing transportation for children attending public schools must also provide transportation on the regular public school bus routes without cost for children attending nonprofit private schools within the district
Testing
Accredited and approved schools are required to administer a standardized norm-referenced test in at least one grade in each of the following three levels: grades four to six, grades seven to nine, and grades 10 to 12.
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Minnesota State Resources
State & Regional Associations
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Independent Schools Association of the Central States: ISACS leads schools to pursue exemplary independent education.
Government Websites
Helping Educators Do the Work That Matters
Quick Guide Nav
We gathered so much information that we had to break it down into 10 chapters. This free information is well-researched- we even hunted down the rules and regulations for each state! If you're thinking about starting a private school, you will find this guide very handy!
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