Education in Nebraska
Nebraska educates roughly 330,000 public K–12 students across about 245 school districts, overseen by the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) and the State Board.
Nebraska's public schools sit at the center of its education system. It has strong option enrollment (families can choose among public districts), but it is one of the few states with no charter schools, and — notably — voters repealed the state's private-school-choice program in 2024, so there is currently no voucher or ESA. Nebraska requires and funds programs for high-ability learners, and rates schools with descriptive classifications rather than letter grades. This guide walks through it all — for the student, the family, the school, and the educator — and points to the official source throughout.
Who must attend school
Nebraska requires children ages 6 to 18 to attend school — a child who is 6 by January 1 is of compulsory age. A student may be released at 16 with parental consent and a required withdrawal process. Attendance can be met through a public school, an accredited private school, or an exempt (home) school.
- Start age6 (by January 1)
- End of compulsory age18 (early release at 16 with consent)
- Districts~245 school districts
- Satisfying itPublic, accredited private, or exempt (home) school
Pre-K in Nebraska
Nebraska does not offer a universal pre-K program. State-supported early education includes public-school prekindergarten (offered by many districts, prioritizing at-risk and income-eligible children), the Nebraska Early Childhood Education Grant Program, and Sixpence (an early-childhood endowment supporting at-risk infants and toddlers), alongside Head Start. Nebraska rates program quality through Step Up to Quality.
Because publicly funded seats are limited and district-dependent, availability varies, so families should check local pre-K and Head Start options early. See our Kindergarten Readiness and Early Childhood toolkits.
Districts & the Learning Community
Nebraska's largest districts include Omaha Public Schools (the state's largest), Lincoln Public Schools, Millard, Papillion-La Vista, and Elkhorn. A distinctive Nebraska feature: it has no charter schools — one of only a small number of states without a charter-school law. In the Omaha metro area, districts also operate within the Learning Community of Douglas and Sarpy Counties, a shared structure with a common levy and a focus on access and socioeconomic diversity.
Nebraska's main choice mechanism is option enrollment (below). Find Nebraska public schools in our schools directory.
Private & independent schools in Nebraska
Nebraska has a substantial private-school sector, reflecting strong Catholic and Lutheran traditions, concentrated in Omaha and Lincoln, spanning:
- Catholic & parochial schoolsA large network across the Archdiocese of Omaha and dioceses statewide (such as the Jesuit Creighton Prep, Marian, and Skutt Catholic)
- Independent schoolsNonprofit, board-governed schools such as Brownell Talbot School (Omaha)
- Other religious schoolsA strong Lutheran network, plus Christian and other faith-based schools
- Specialty schoolsMontessori and schools for specific learning needs
Nebraska regulates private schools through a state approval/accreditation framework (with an "exempt school" option for some), and accreditation is otherwise voluntary — often through Cognia or a recognized association. Because Nebraska voters repealed the state's private-school-choice program in 2024, private schools are funded by tuition and their own financial aid. Families should ask about a school's accreditation, curriculum, and outcomes directly.
How choice works in Nebraska
Nebraska's school choice is public, centered on a long-standing open-enrollment program:
- Option Enrollment (since 1989)Families may apply for their child to attend any public school district in the state that has available space — one of the country's earlier statewide open-enrollment laws
- No charter schoolsNebraska has no charter-school law
- No private voucher/ESANebraska voters repealed the state's private-school-scholarship program (the Education Scholarship Act) via Referendum 435 in November 2024
- HomeschoolingAvailable as an "exempt school" (below)
So, following the 2024 repeal, Nebraska families choose among their district, other public districts (via option enrollment), and homeschooling. See our School Types toolkit for how these compare.
Homeschooling in Nebraska
In Nebraska, homeschools operate as "exempt schools" — private schools that elect not to seek state accreditation/approval (for religious or other reasons). The process is straightforward despite the formal name:
- File with the stateSubmit the required information/exemption forms to the Nebraska Department of Education — generally by July 15 for the coming year (or before starting), with statements of intent and assurances
- Teach required subjectsProvide instruction in language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, and health
- No testingNo standardized testing is required for exempt-school students
- No state coursesNebraska does not mandate specific high school courses, credits, or exit assessments for homeschoolers
Nebraska exempt-school parents set their own graduation requirements and issue their own diplomas. (Note: with the 2024 repeal of the state scholarship program, there is currently no state funding for home education.) See our Homeschooling toolkit, and get the exempt-school forms from the NDE.
NSCAS & the ACT
Nebraska public schools use the Nebraska Student-Centered Assessment System (NSCAS) — testing English language arts and mathematics (grades 3–8) and science (grades 5, 8, and 11) — and the ACT for all 11th graders as the statewide high school assessment (part of NSCAS).
Exempt-school (homeschool) students are not part of state testing. See the NDE assessment pages for current details.
Earning a Nebraska high school diploma
Nebraska sets a state minimum for graduation — accredited schools must require at least 200 credit hours — but local districts set their specific graduation requirements (and typically require more), so exactly what it takes to graduate varies by district. Nebraska does not require a statewide graduation exam.
- State minimum200 credit hours
- Local requirementsDistricts set specifics (often higher)
- No exit examNo single test required to graduate
- Dual credit & CTECareer pathways and college credit available
Special education & high-ability learners
Nebraska serves students with disabilities under the federal IDEA, providing eligible students a free appropriate public education through an IEP in the least restrictive environment, with full procedural safeguards overseen by the NDE.
Nebraska refers to gifted education as High Ability Learner (HAL) programming, and it is comparatively well supported: districts are required to identify high-ability learners and provide programs, backed by state High Ability Learner funding. See our Special Education and Gifted & Talented toolkits, and verify with the NDE.
Nebraska's AQuESTT classifications
Rather than assigning A–F letter grades, Nebraska rates schools and districts through AQuESTT (Accountability for a Quality Education System, Today and Tomorrow) — classifying each into a performance category: Excellent, Great, Good, or Needs Improvement, based on measures such as achievement and growth, graduation rate, English-learner progress, and evidence-based indicators of quality.
Because Nebraska uses descriptive categories and a rich set of indicators rather than a single grade, families should read the school's data alongside a visit (see our Choosing the Right School toolkit). Explore Nebraska school and district data (via the Nebraska Education Profile) through the NDE, and find schools in our directory.
Immunizations & school entry
To enroll in a Nebraska school, students must show proof of required immunizations per the schedule set by the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services, or a valid exemption. Requirements follow the state schedule, with additional doses at certain grades (including 7th-grade entry).
Nebraska allows medical exemptions and religious exemptions (via a signed statement) — it does not offer a broad personal-belief/philosophical exemption. Confirm current requirements with Nebraska DHHS and your school district before enrolling.
State grants & scholarships
Nebraska's primary need-based program is the Nebraska Opportunity Grant (NOG) — for eligible Nebraska students at in-state colleges. Nebraska also offers Nebraska Career Scholarships (for students pursuing high-demand fields), Access College Early (dual-enrollment support), and community-college programs. The nonprofit EducationQuest Foundation provides free college-planning help across the state.
Students apply by filing the FAFSA and meeting each program's requirements by the deadlines. Use our Net Price, SAI Estimator, and Award Letter tools to plan costs, and see programs via the Nebraska Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education.
Colleges & universities in Nebraska
Nebraska's public higher education includes the University of Nebraska system — four campuses anchored by the flagship University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL), plus UNO (Omaha), the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), and UNK (Kearney) — the Nebraska State College System (Chadron State, Peru State, and Wayne State), and a network of community colleges. Together they offer degrees from certificates through doctorates, with transfer pathways.
Nebraska also has private colleges (Creighton University among them). Explore Nebraska's colleges and universities in our directory.
Becoming a teacher in Nebraska
Nebraska certifies teachers through the NDE, and candidates must pass the required Praxis examinations after completing an approved preparation program. Nebraska issues an Initial teaching certificate that advances to a Standard and then Professional certificate with experience, and offers alternative and provisional routes to help fill positions in rural and hard-to-staff areas.
Nebraska also provides reciprocity for many out-of-state educators. See our Teacher Certification, Praxis, and Job & Interview Tips for Educators toolkits, and the NDE certification pages for specifics.
Where to get the authoritative details
Requirements change — this guide is a well-organized starting point, not the final authority. For the current, official word, go straight to the source:
Also essential: your local school district office (for enrollment and option enrollment), your school counselor, EducationQuest (for college planning), and the K12 Academics toolkits linked throughout this page.