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All children in Nebraska should have high quality
education regardless of the size, wealth or geographic
location of the community in which they reside.
Elementary and Secondary Education
During the 2004-2005 school year, 21,647 youth were
awarded diplomas, accompanied by 2,326 individuals
who received their GED or other certificate of high
school completion. However, 2,767 students dropped
out of school and 924 were expelled during the 2004-2005
school year. A disproportionate number of these dropouts
and expulsions are Hispanic and African-American students.
Special Education
Identifying the need for special education services
at an early age is imperative for the development
and successful education of a child in need. Moreover,
we are beginning to get a better picture of the link
between special needs and delinquent behavior in youth.
In their 2000 Annual Report, Handle with Care:
Serving the Mental Health Needs of Young Offenders,
the Coalition for Juvenile Justice states that 70%
of incarcerated youth have diagnosable learning disabilities.
Special needs such as impairments in speech, language,
vision and hearing; neurological disabilities; and
emotional disturbances that negatively affect learning
and concentration occur more frequently among court-involved
youth. By the time youth with emotional disturbances
are out of school for three-to-five years, nearly
60% will be arrested. Early detection of special education
needs along with appropriate intervention could benefit
both children and communities.
During the 2004-2005 school year, 46,500 Nebraska
students from birth to age 21 received special education
services. There were 5,926 preschool children, birth
to age five with a verified disability also receiving
special education services.
School districts reported 40,574 students age 6-21
with disabilities.
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