92 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 14, § 007

Current through September 17, 2024

Section 92-14-007 - Regulations Pertaining to the Secondary School

007.01The Secondary Instructional Program

007.01ARequired High School Program. The high school program consists of courses totaling at least 200 instructional units of which at least 100 instructional units are taught by certificated teachers employed by the school. Up to a total of 100 instructional units may be provided through one or more of the following:

007.01A1Cooperative Arrangements. Instructional units provided through contractual or cooperative arrangements with other schools, educational service units, and/or postsecondary institutions may be counted in meeting a portion of the instructional unit requirement provided the courses are taught by properly certificated teachers and are made available to all eligible students. The course(s) must be shown on the high school class schedule if the courses are to be counted toward compliance with this regulation. A copy of the written agreement with the cooperation school/agency must be on file in the school.

007.01A1aDistance Learning. Up to 60 instructional units of the 200 unit instructional program requirement of the high school may be met through the use of courses presented primarily through one or more forms of distance learning technology such as satellite, regional course sharing, or other audio-video distance learning, provided:

(a) each course is shown on the high school class schedule,

(b) at least one student is enrolled and participating in each course to be counted, and,

(c) each student enrolled in a course is assigned to a local certificated teacher who monitors student progress and general appropriateness of the course. The teacher is present in the classroom while instruction is in progress unless:

007.01A1a1 The off-site teacher holds a valid teaching certificate and a para-professional is present in the classroom, or

007.01A1a2 The off-site teacher holds a Nebraska teaching certificate, maintains two-way audio and video communication with the distance learning classroom, and has a direct telephone connection with a supervising adult in the school.

007.01A2Correspondence Courses. Up to 30 instructional units of the instructional program requirement of the high school may be met through the use of correspondence courses available through the Independent Study High School, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, provided:

(a) the courses are made available to all students at the school's expense,

(b) at least one high school student is enrolled in each course used towards compliance with the instructional program requirement,

(c) a correspondence study class is scheduled each day that school is in session with a certificated teacher present (one teacher may supervise several correspondence courses within a single class period),

(d) students are required to attend the scheduled classes, and

(e) a statement indicating the name of the course, the number of hours to be completed, and the name of the students enrolled is on file in the school system. The class assigned for the correspondence work must be shown on the high school class schedule.

007.01B A school adding high school grades provides at least one-fourth of the total instructional unit requirement and one-fourth of the individual subject matter requirements for each grade that it offers.

007.01C The instructional program in grades 9-12 includes as a minimum the following subject fields and the number of instructional units shown for each:

007.01C1Language Arts - 40 instructional units. Schools may include world language in meeting this requirement;

007.01C2Social Science - 30 instructional units. This must include instruction required pursuant to Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-724;

007.01C3Mathematics - 20 instructional units;

007.01C4Science - 20 instructional units. This includes courses each year in the biological and the physical sciences;

007.01C5Career and Technical Education - 40 instructional units;

007.01C6Personal Health and Physical Education - 10 instructional units. Practice for and participation in interscholastic athletic activities cannot substitute for any part of the personal health and physical education requirements; and

007.01C7Visual and Performing Arts - 5 instructional units in music and 5 in art.

007.01D Secondary schools including grades seven and eight provide instruction in the following subject areas in each grade during each school year: Reading Language Arts, Social Science, Mathematics, Science, Personal Health and Physical Education, Music, and Art. Computer education is integrated in the instructional program. Practice for and participation in interscholastic activities are not accepted as a substitute for any part of this requirement.

007.02Number, Preparation, and Assignment of Secondary Staff

007.02A A minimum of 70 percent of the units offered in secondary grades during the regular school term are assigned to teachers who hold certificates having appropriate endorsements issued pursuant to 92 NAC 24. If 92 NAC 24 does not provide an endorsement designated for a particular course or subject area, any teacher holding a regular certificate may instruct such course without penalty to the school system. Teachers holding a subject endorsement are considered appropriately endorsed for any other subject within the broad field if they are acquiring six credit hours per year toward the subject endorsement or the broad field endorsement.

007.02B Each secondary school has a principal assigned who holds a Nebraska Administrative and Supervisory Certificate with an endorsement for serving as a secondary principal or for superintendent. When the number of full-time equivalency teachers reaches 10 or more, the principal is assigned at least one-half time for administration and supervision. The principal is assigned full-time for administration and supervision when the number of full-time equivalency teachers reaches 20 or more.

92 Neb. Admin. Code, ch. 14, § 007

Amended effective 6/2/2024