Nebraska

Signatures being gathered seeking to stop Nebraska’s revamped school choice law

Published

8 months ago

May 10, 2024

Signatures being gathered seeking to stop Nebraska’s revamped school choice law

LINCOLN, Neb. (Nebraska Examiner) – The union representing Nebraska’s K-12 public school teachers and its supporters can now gather signatures seeking to stop a new state law that helps some students pay for private schooling.

On Wednesday, Secretary of State Bob Evnen released the language that petition gatherers are using to target much of Legislative Bill 1402, the latest version of a scholarship or voucher program for students attending private K-12 schools.

The petition seeks to “repeal section 1 of LB 1402 … which directs $10 million dollars annually for financial grants-in-aid for eligible students to attend a qualifying privately operated elementary or secondary school in Nebraska.”

Support Our Schools had no immediate comment about approval of the petition language. The group has until mid-July to gather about 61,000 signatures from about 5% of registered voters statewide, plus 5% from voters in at least 38 counties.

Its leaders have argued that people who want to spend public dollars on private education revamped the first version of the scholarship program, passed last year, in order to derail Support Our Schools’ first effort to let voters decide on the issue.

Direct appropriation of $10 million

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Omaha and other scholarship program supporters also had no immediate comment on the language, other than Linehan saying that the state Department of Education approves which schools are eligible.

The scholarship program started as a privately funded effort backed by a dollar-for-dollar tax credit of up to $25 million a year for donors. The program shifted under LB 1402 into a direct appropriation of $10 million to the State Treasurer’s Office to distribute.

Some have questioned the constitutionality of the appropriation and whether there’s enough of a step between state money and private schools. Others have questioned whether a ballot measure can repeal a legislative appropriation.

Program advocates, including Linehan and State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha, have said families with kids in public schools that don’t work well for them need options and can’t afford to wait years for school systems to change.

Critics of the school choice push say many other states that have started with small scholarship programs like this one later expanded into costly voucher programs that pull tax dollars out away from other priorities, including public schools.

Nebraska Examiner is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Nebraska Examiner maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Cate Folsom for questions: info@nebraskaexaminer.com. Follow Nebraska Examiner on Facebook and Twitter.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Cracks Top 25 in Softball America Preseason Rankings

Published

6 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Press Room

Nebraska Cracks Top 25 in Softball America Preseason Rankings

Softball America dropped its preseason top 25 on Monday morning and the Nebraska Cornhuskers are ranked No. 21.

The respect shown by Softball America weeks before first pitch is deserved as the Huskers have reloaded a roster full of homegrown talent. Unlike in years before, the NU roster features 10 Nebraska natives along with Wisconsin transfer Ava Kuszak who played travel ball for Nebraska Gold alongside Jordy Bahl and Bella Bacon.

Jordy Bahl ends an inning during a Nebraska softball falls scrimmage. / Nebraska Athletics

The SEC dominated with 10 teams in the top 25, including five in the top 10. With strong showings from Duke and Florida State, the ACC boasts five teams in the rankings.

UCLA, now part of the Big Ten Conference, is ranked fifth and is joined by four other Big Ten schools. Oklahoma State ranks fourth, while Texas Tech, Arizona, and Baylor from the Big 12 also make the top 25.

The only mid-major in the top 25 is Liberty from Conference USA.

Softball America Preseason Top 25

Florida
Texas
Oklahoma
Oklahoma State
UCLA
Tennessee
Texas A&M
Duke
Texas Tech
Florida State
Alabama
LSU
Arkansas
Arizona
Missouri
Baylor
Georgia
Northwestern
California
Liberty
Nebraska
Virginia Tech
Michigan
Virginia
Penn State

Nebraska is scheduled to face eight teams ranked in Softball America’s preseason top 25, including No. 4 Oklahoma State, No. 5 UCLA, No. 6 Tennessee, No. 8 Duke, No. 9 Texas Tech, No. 15 Missouri, No. 16 Baylor, and No. 18 Northwestern.

The Huskers kick off their season on Thursday, Feb. 6, at the NFCA Leadoff Classic, taking on No. 6 Tennessee at 6 p.m. CST in Clearwater, Fla.

MORE: Way Too Early 2025 Nebraska Football Schedule Predictions

MORE: Nebraska Women’s Basketball 7th In Big Ten

MORE: Former Nebraska Pitcher Discusses First Season in Major League Baseball

MORE: Nebraska Football Alum Adrian Martinez Signs Futures Contract with New York Jets

MORE: Are Nebrasketball’s Current Struggles For Real?

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

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Nebraska

Sunday Standings: Nebraska Women’s Basketball 7th In Big Ten

Published

17 hours ago

January 13, 2025

Press Room

Sunday Standings: Nebraska Women’s Basketball 7th In Big Ten

A great week of games for the Nebraska Cornhuskers moved them up the Big Ten Conference women’s basketball standings. The Big Red is now on a three-game win streak.

Nebraska women’s basketball forward Jessica Petrie shoots against Penn State. / Nebraska Athletics

Below are the scores from this week’s games.

Tuesday, January 7

#1 UCLA 83, Purdue 49
Washington 79, Wisconsin 58

Wednesday, January 8

#9 Ohio State 84, #25 Michigan 77
Nebraska 85, #20 Michigan State 80
Minnesota 76, Rutgers 50
Indiana 68, Northwestern 64
#4 USC 79, #8 Maryland 74

Nebraska center/forward Alexis Markowski shoots the ball against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025. / Nebraska Athletics

Thursday, January 9

Oregon 63, Penn State 61
Illinois 62, #23 Iowa 57

Saturday, January 11

#25 Michigan 87, Purdue 60
#8 Maryland 83, Wisconsin 68

Sunday, January 12

#9 Ohio State 69, Oregon 60
#20 Michigan State 80, Washington 68
Nebraska 69, Rutgers 62
Indiana 74, #23 Iowa 67
#4 USC 95, Penn State 73
#1 UCLA vs. Northwestern (POSTPONED)

Nebraska forward Amiah Hargrove shoots the ball against Michigan State at Pinnacle Bank Arena on Jan. 8, 2025. / Nebraska Athletics

Nebraska remains in the top 10 in the league and moved up three spots thanks to two big wins during this week’s contests. Below are the standings as of Sunday evening.

#4 USC 6-0 (16-1)
#9 Ohio State 5-0 (16-0)
#1 UCLA 5-0 (16-0)
#8 Maryland 5-1 (15-1)
Minnesota 4-1 (16-1)
Indiana 4-1 (12-4)
Nebraska 4-2 (13-4)
#20 Michigan State 3-2 (13-3)
Washington 3-2 (12-5)
Oregon 3-3 (12-5)
Illinois 2-3 (12-4)
#25 Michigan 2-3 (11-5)
#23 Iowa 2-4 (12-5)
Wisconsin 1-5 (10-7)
Northwestern 0-5 (7-9)
Purdue 0-5 (7-9)
Penn State 0-6 (9-8)
Rutgers 0-6 (8-9)

MORE: Former Nebraska Pitcher Discusses First Season in Major League Baseball

MORE: Nebraska Football Alum Adrian Martinez Signs Futures Contract with New York Jets

MORE: Are Nebrasketball’s Current Struggles For Real?

MORE: Nebraska Men’s Basketball Falls to 10th in Big Ten Conference

MORE: Nebraska Women’s Basketball Tops Rutgers in Piscataway

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

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Nebraska

Nebraska Football Offers 2028 Defensive Lineman Caleb Tucker

Published

1 day ago

January 12, 2025

Press Room

Nebraska Football Offers 2028 Defensive Lineman Caleb Tucker

Nebraska football has continued its recent run of offering prospects by offering one of the nation’s best freshman.

The Huskers have offered 2028 defensive lineman Caleb Tucker. The 6-5, 355-pound prospect plays at Mount Carmel High School in Chicago.

Tucker is currently unranked, just like the vast majority of freshman prospects in the nation. However, that hasn’t stopped schools from seeing what makes Tucker so special.

The youngster’s offer list includes Nebraska, Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin. He was named a MaxPreps Freshman All-American.

Nebraska will continue to build a relationship over time with one of the nation’s best underclassmen. They have plenty of time to do so which gives them and the rest of the teams currently in Tucker’s recruitment a fighting chance at this stage in his process.

MORE: Nebraska Football Offers 2026 4-Star Wide Receiver Nalin Scott

MORE: Nebraska Football Offers 2026 3-Star Offensive Tackle Rex Waterman

MORE: Nebraska Football Offers 2028 Edge Rusher Jalanie George

MORE: Nebraska Football Offers 2026 3-Star Offensive Lineman Jalayne Miller

MORE: I-80 Club: Is Dylan Raiola Forcing Things At Nebraska?

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.

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