In May 2024, Nebraska introduced a new bill that replaces the Opportunity Scholarship program (which was passed in 2023 and has awarded over 1,400 scholarships to date) with a new program.
Under a recent repeal, the Opportunity Scholarship Act—which allowed eligible families to apply for private school vouchers covering expenses like tuition and fees—has been discontinued. The repeal eliminates both the funding and the scholarship program for future applicants, ending access to these private school scholarships for students, including those from low-income families, military families, and young children entering kindergarten or first grade.
How did the program work? The bill allocated $10 million in state funding annually to provide scholarships to students. This means that instead of scholarships being provided by private non-profit organizations known as Scholarship Granting Organizations, they would be be provided by the state treasurer’s program, similar to private school choice programs in North Carolina and Ohio.
Who can apply to Nebraska’s new scholarship program?
Students who received a scholarship in the spring of 2024 under the Opportunity Scholarships Act would have received first priority for scholarships, as well as their siblings.
Next, a student was eligible if they are enrolling in kindergarten, ninth grade, or the initial grade offered by the school of choice, as well as students transferring from a public school, or students from families whose income is below 213% of poverty level.
Priority was for such students from households with income levels of up to 185% of the federal poverty level, eligible students with individualized education programs, eligible students who are experiencing bullying, eligible students in foster care, eligible students denied option enrollment, and eligible students with a parent or guardian in an active duty role in the armed forces or National Guard.
Third priority was given to eligible students whose household income is more than 185% of the federal poverty level but less than 213% of the federal poverty level. Fourth priority will be given to eligible students whose household income is more than 213% of the federal poverty level but less than 300% of the income guidelines for reduced-price meals.
In most cases, a student must either:
- Be transferring from a public school
- Be entering kindergarten, first, or ninth grade
- Be a dependent of active or reserve duty military personnel moving into Nebraska.
- Be a recipient of an education scholarship under the Opportunity Scholarship Act in the spring of 2024, or be a sibling of a scholarship recipient.
The goal of Nebraska’s scholarship program was to offer low-income and middle-income families a school choice they otherwise couldn’t afford.
How much is the new scholarship amount, and where can families use their scholarships?
Nebraska’s private school scholarships provided families with up to about $5,000.
Families could use their vouchers at any qualified private school in Nebraska. This means a nonpublic elementary or secondary school that meets all health and safety codes and anti-discrimination provisions and fulfills the accreditation and approval requirements of Nebraska’s State Board of Education.
Nebraska offers many private school options. While Nebraska is a rural state, a 2023 analysis of students in grades K-12 found that 77% of all Nebraska students in grades K-12 live within a 10-minute drive of at least one private school, and 90% live within a 20-minute drive of at least one private school.
Where to learn more
If you’d like to learn more about Nebraska’s scholarship program and its repeal, you can keep an eye out for updates at the Nebraska Department of Education and Nebraska Opportunity Scholarship.
*November 2024 Legal Update: It’s currently unclear how the repeal will affect families who have already been awarded scholarships. Stay tuned for updates as more details become available.
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