Authorized by the Nebraska Legislature in 2007, the Access College Early (ACE) Scholarship Program pays tuition and mandatory fees for qualified, low-income high school students to enroll in college courses from eligible Nebraska colleges or universities, either through dual-enrollment or early enrollment agreements with these institutions.

Update: Gov. Dave Heineman signed this bill into law on May 4, 2011.

A bill introduced in the state Legislature directs the Coordinating Commission to conduct a study on dual-enrollment courses and career academies in Nebraska. LB 58 - which is now included in an amendment to LB 637 - calls on the Commission to collaborate with the State of Department of Education, public and private colleges and universities, school districts, and private secondary schools to complete the study, which would be due to the Legislature on or before Dec. 15, 2011.

The Coordinating Commission's governing board approved the 2011 Nebraska Higher Education Progress Report at its March 8 meeting in Lincoln. The Commission is required by statute to produce this annual report, which is designed to provide the Nebraska Legislature with comparative statistics to monitor and evaluate progress toward achieving three key priorities for the state's postsecondary education system:

The Coordinating Commission has posted the agenda online for its next scheduled meeting, on March 8 at the State Capitol in Lincoln. Among the items on the agenda: 

The Coordinating Commission's executive director, Marshall Hill, testified before the Legislature's Education Committee on Monday about three bills that would affect Nebraska higher education:

Programs for Nebraska teachers wanting to sharpen their skills and improve their subject knowledge were given a financial boost recently thanks to federal grants awarded for teaching-improvement courses and workshops.

Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education administers the Improving Teacher Quality grants, which fund projects designed to improve teachers' content knowledge and professional skills. The Coordinating Commission approved the funds at its Jan. 20 meeting.

The Coordinating Commission at its Dec. 9 meeting approved its 2010 Biennial Report. This report, required by statute, provides an "insider's view" of the Commission during the past two years.

The Commission uses this report to spotlight its activities and accomplishments during the previous biennium, and how those relate to the Commission's overarching goals and mission.

Among the report's highlights:

(Update: The Commission at its January 20 meeting approved National American University's application.)

National American University of Rapid City, S.D., has applied to offer numerous degree programs in the state of Nebraska.

Commentary by Marshall A. Hill, Executive Director, Nebraska's Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education

Nebraska fares well in many measures of educational attainment. But we are leaving too many students behind, among them students who have demonstrated considerable interest and capability.

The Coordinating Commission's associate director, Carna Pfeil, and its research coordinator, Barbara McCuen, presented at the annual Women in Educational Leadership Conference, held Oct. 11 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Their presentation was titled "Statewide Analysis and Implications of Increasing Numbers of Women at Nebraska Colleges and Universities." Among the findings presented by Pfeil and McCuen: