Brian Maher, Nebraska’s education commissioner, reads a book to a group of mostly 3-year-olds Monday as he and others launched a statewide project to boost reading skills of pre-kindergarteners. The kickoff was at an Educare of Omaha at Indian Hill, 3110 W St., on Oct. 30, 2023. (Cindy Gonzalez/Nebraska Examiner)
LINCOLN — The Nebraska Department of Education has been awarded a $55 million federal grant over the next five years to help improve literacy throughout the state.
State Education Commissioner Brian Maher, in announcing the grant Friday at a State Board of Education meeting in Nebraska City, said it is the largest competitive grant the department has ever received. It is part of the Comprehensive Literacy State Development grant from the U.S. Department of Education. Nebraska is one of 23 recipients across the country.
Maher said he and the department are excited about the “great opportunity” but said it also comes with “great responsibility.”
“We cannot just spend the next five years spending $55 million without making sure that there are positive outcomes for students,” Maher said.