My Views Are My Own By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S. 5/14/2026 Statement on Preschool Grants I would like to point out for the public that an early childhood education continuation grant was approved for over $2 million dollars in today’s consent agenda. When an item is approved in the consent agenda, the funding is passed without discussion. This grant’s purpose is to improve access to early childhood education and prekindergarten programs that are currently already receiving gran

My Views Are My Own By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S. 4/20/2026 During my time on the Nebraska State Board of Education, I have engaged in numerous discussions and debates regarding academic proficiency rates, student mental health, teacher retention challenges, graduation rates, and chronic absenteeism. I firmly believe that when students develop strong reading proficiency and confidence early in their education, many of these interrelated challenges are more effectively addressed an

My Views Are My Own By Lisa Schonhoff, Ed.S. March 18, 2026 Timeline of Mental Health Grants In August 2024 , the Council of Chief State School Officers highlighted Nebraska's School Mental Health Initiative, funded by approximately $14.6–$15 million in federal ESSER (COVID relief) funds. This supported training for more than 400 educators across 70 schools or districts by July 2022, with surveys showing gains in staff knowledge. However, the student mental health crisis has