This editorial is for those of you who love numbers and/or competition. It will give you a taste of how Nebraska’s educational system looks compared to the rest of the nation. Student achievement data shows Nebraska as a state scoring above the national average in most areas. Morgan Quinto Press that ranks states in various areas such as crime, health, and other livability factors has Nebraska number 12 in education. This ranking is made after taking in 21 different factors. Most of the factors are national standardized test score measures. Others include dropout rates, class size averages, employee salaries and economic measures such as percent of school revenue spent on instruction.

Nebraska scored higher than our neighbors, Iowa (14), Kansas (13), Missouri (21), Colorado (23), Utah (33), and South Dakota (18). When comparisons in almost any category are made, Nebraska and neighbor states rank very close to one another.

There are some categories in which Nebraska rates very high. One is public school pupil/teacher ratio where at 13.6 to 1 Nebraska ranks number 10 in the nation. Another high area is the percent of educational funds that go directly to classroom instruction expenses. Nebraska is third in the nation in this area with 64% of educational funds going to the classroom. Graduation rate is also high (number four in the nation) with 91.33% of Nebraska adults having a high school diploma. The public high school graduation rate is number six in the nation.

A couple of lower areas include spending per public school student. 68% of states spend more than does Nebraska per student. 26 states also score higher than Nebraska in the amount of school spending per $1,000 of personal income. Another area Nebraska is low compared to other states is teacher salaries where Nebraska is below the national average.
Overall one could say that in the student achievement area Nebraska ranks in the top 25% in most areas. In the K-12 funding areas ,Nebraska in general ranks a little below the middle. And when compared to neighboring states Nebraska compares favorably both in achievement and spending level.

When you look at the two main factors here, spending and achievement, Nebraska comes out very well. Though spending a less than average amount per student, Nebraska is getting better than average results. How do we account for this?

Many factors go into this success story, but perhaps the most important is the good homes from which the Nebraska students come coupled with the hard work and dedication of the Nebraska educators. Those two elements combined equals success. This formula is further enhanced by throwing in caring hard-working communities and good support systems (both public and private) for disadvantaged families.

This Nebraska formula is one about which you all can be proud because you are a critical part of it. This is true because you support it generously with your finances and with your time and energy. Speaking for all Columbus educators, I want to thank you for making Nebraska education work for all of us. A strong educational system equates to a strong economy and to civically responsible citizens. Good educational systems make “Nebraska, the Good Life,” more than just a slogan. Thanks for all you do to make this possible.

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