The Nebraska State Board of Education is set to vote Friday on proposed changes to the state’s priority school list—recommending the removal of Isanti Elementary School and the addition of Omaha Nation Middle School. The list, created by a 2014 state law, identifies schools that fall into the “Needs Support to Improve” category, triggering intensive intervention and oversight.
Isanti Elementary, located on the Santee Sioux Reservation, has been part of the priority program since 2019, with the district’s middle school placed on the list as early as 2015. A new improvement plan implemented in 2023 appears to have paid off: the school saw significant gains in student achievement, with 58% meeting or exceeding benchmarks in reading and 63% in math—compared to just 13% and 16% the year prior. Chronic absenteeism also dropped by more than half.
Isanti Superintendent Greg Shepard credited the staff’s hard work, saying the designation motivated the team to improve. Shirley Vargas, the Nebraska Department of Education’s school transformation officer, commended the school’s consistent leadership and data-driven instruction.
As Isanti Elementary may exit the list, the Department recommends Omaha Nation Middle School for inclusion. Despite efforts, the school has faced persistent performance challenges over the last nine years. In the 2023–24 school year, just 23% of students met standards in English, and only 1% in math. More than 84% of students were also chronically absent.
Vargas noted that the decision to recommend Omaha Nation Middle School followed a comprehensive evaluation, including classroom visits and discussions with local educators. She emphasized that priority status is about collaboration—not criticism—and aims to build on each school’s strengths with local support.
Though this year’s proposed changes involve tribal schools, officials say the department is committed to expanding support statewide. “It just so happens that this is where we are this year,” Vargas said, adding that they plan to continue reaching more schools across Nebraska.
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