Your Stories Have Power

By NSEA President Tim Royers

While we may have one eye on the upcoming winter break and some much-needed downtime, countless NSEA members across the state are engaged in doing the important work to advance the education profession. Most of our local education associations are working full steam ahead with the contract negotiations to hammer out agreements that will retain and recruit the very best educators for their students.

Your Advocate
Just as your local association leaders and negotiators are hard at work to support you and your students, your state leaders and staff are committed and working to do the same. Thanks to your input throughout the fall – from surveys, visits to locals, committee meetings, and more – we have the information we need to put together a comprehensive, strong package of bills to advocate for in the upcoming legislative session. We want to make sure that every Nebraskan, from Sioux County to Richardson County, knows what the state should do to help address educators’ needs and strengthen our capacity to serve our students.

Your Voice
Putting together a slate of policy proposals derived from your input is just the first step to delivering results. The only way we complete the path is by working together. We need members and allies in the community, to speak up and lend their voices in our efforts.  Whether it is in the form of testifying at a hearing, calling your state senator, writing a letter, or attending a town hall – only through our collective strength can we succeed in convincing our Nebraska State Senators and the Governor to truly commit to bold action.  

More than anything else, it will be your stories that will have the most impact.  

Build Momentum
We delivered a resounding victory in the 2024 election with the repeal of LB1402’s voucher scheme.  Now we need to build on that momentum, leverage the relationships we built during that two-year battle, and fight to address the issues that are having the most profound impact on our lives and the lives and learning of our students.  

This month, we will be sharing our proposals with you, our state senators, and the public at large.  In January, when the new session of the Legislature convenes, we will roll up our sleeves and get to work convincing lawmakers of the need to vote for the policy proposals we’re bringing to them on behalf of our members and students.  I’m asking you to join us in this important effort.

Take Care of Yourself
I hope you enjoy the winter break and take some time off to recharge your batteries.  Education is an incredibly rewarding profession, but it can also take a lot out of you – so please take care of yourselves.

I’m looking forward to working with you to advance a positive agenda that strengthens the education profession and benefits Nebraska educators and students in the new year.