LINCOLN, Neb.

Gov. Dave Heineman said that he doesn't want to prejudice the work of a newly formed education council by listing what he hopes it will achieve. But he said there are creative thinkers involved who will look at the state's education system to see what improvements can be made.

However, none of those involved include representatives from the state's Hispanic population or other minority groups.

That doesn't mean the 13-member Nebraska Educational Leadership Council won't grow to include such representation, the governor said at a news conference. At least initially, the goal was to bring leaders of various educational and business groups together, Heineman said.

In addition to Heineman, the group includes University of Nebraska President J.B. Milliken, state Education Commissioner Doug Christensen, as well as representatives of the state college system, community colleges, independent colleges and universities. Also included are the Nebraska Farm Bureau, the state Chamber of Commerce and three members representing parents and private interests.

Heineman will serve as co-chair along with state Sen. Ron Raikes, chairman of the Legislature's Education Committee.

The governor's defense of the group's makeup came after Christensen said one of the biggest issues facing the state was ensuring the number of students in poverty and learning the English language get the education they need to succeed.

Even though those groups aren't represented on the council, Christensen said those who are members have numerous connections to minority groups and can ensure their voice is heard. He mentioned that the state Department of Education has held a Latino-Hispanic summit for three years and has met on American Indian issues for seven years.

While the governor was reticent to list what he hopes the new group achieves, he said it will address the challenges and opportunities of international competition and work on improving education from preschool through the workforce. The governor said his focus will be on finding ways to increase academic rigor, particularly in math and science, encourage more parental involvement and improve partnerships between higher education and the K-12 system.

— Associated Press


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