LINCOLN- LB528, introduced by State Sen. Ben Hansen, would create the Nebraska Option Enrollment Tuition Account Program, allowing Nebraska youth to tap into state funds to attend private school. "I want you to create options within option enrollment," said Hansen during an Education Committee hearing, "guaranteeing that there's a path forward for students who have been denied."

Under the bill, students whose option enrollment application is denied could apply to the State Board of Education for an Option Enrollment Tuition Account, which could be used to pay for tuition and fees at private, denominational, or parochial schools in Nebraska. Hansen claimed that the funds would not be taken away from public schools, as many opponents argued, but that they would come directly from Nebraska's general fund.

Dawnell Glunz, an instructor at Grand Island Central Catholic, said the bill is not about the fight between public and private schools. "Students deserve an education that is tailored to their specific needs. This rings true for all students but in a unique way for students who are on an IEP or 504," said Glunz.

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