About the Learning Community

What is the Learning Community?

The Learning Community began in January, 2009, and is a political subdivision created by the Nebraska Legislature. It is comprised of all 11 school districts within Douglas and Sarpy Counties. There are six Learning Community electoral districts, each with approximately 90,000 residents.

Why was the Learning Community created?

The Learning Community concept was introduced by the Nebraska Legislature in 2006, and revised in 2007 and 2008, to resolve educational and boundary issues among several school districts in the Omaha metropolitan area.

What is the Learning Community Coordinating Council?

The Learning Community Coordinating Council is the Learning Community’s governing body, and is made up of 18 voting members, three from each of six electoral districts. Of the three, two are elected, and one is appointed. The appointed member must be a current school board member. Each district’s three voting members make up that district’s achievement subcouncil. To ensure that all 11 school districts have a seat at the table, a non-voting member is added for school districts not represented after elected and appointed members are seated. Voting members can receive up to $200/day for official council and subcouncil meetings, up to a maximum of $12,000 per year, plus reasonable expenses. The full Council holds regular meetings on the first and third Thursday of every month that are open to the public. Subcouncils also hold public meetings on a regular basis.

How are members elected and appointed?

The first Learning Community Coordinating Council election was in November, 2008. The 12 elected members will serve four-year terms, except that members elected to represent odd-numbered districts will initially serve two-year terms. Appointed members serve two-year terms. Elected council members are chosen through a process whereby voters choose one candidate on a non-partisan ballot and the two candidates receiving the most votes are elected for that district. A primary was added beginning in 2010. The top four vote-getters in the primary will advance to the general election. The appointed school board member for each Learning Community district is chosen by the school board members within that school district. Non-voting members are appointed by the school boards of the districts they represent, must be residents of their appointing school districts, and may not be school administrators employed by those districts.

What does the Learning Community Coordinating Council have authority to do?

Levy and distribute common levies on behalf of member school districts up to a maximum consistent with the state school aid formula and the learning community law
Levy and distribute levies for approved capital projects, special building funds and elementary learning centers up to a specified maximum
Approve focus schools and focus programs operated by member school districts
Adopt, approve and implement a socioeconomic diversity plan which includes open enrollment, and may include focus schools, focus programs, magnet schools, and pathways
Establish and administer elementary learning centers through achievement subcouncils
Approve/disapprove poverty and limited English proficiency plans for member school districts through achievement subcouncils
Collect, analyze and report data
Receive community input and assist citizens and member school districts in accessing mediation services to resolve disputes
Administer and promote open enrollment programs to increase socioeconomic diversity in learning community schools
Conduct school fairs to inform parents and students about educational opportunities at each school in the learning community

What have been the Learning Community’s main accomplishments to date?

Set a common general fund levy of 95 cents per $100 of valuation and a special building fund tax levy of 2 cents for all 11 districts to ensure fiscal equity
Set a capital projects fund levy of half-cent for the Learning Community to support the construction or renovation of elementary learning centers and focus schools
Developed plans for elementary learning centers for children & families in high poverty areas
Developed a socioeconomic diversity plan specifying calculation of maximum enrollment and a process for open enrollment across the 11 districts
Reviewed and approved the Poverty and Limited English Proficiency plans of each of the 11 member school districts

What are some of the benefits of the Learning Community?

Enhanced strategic focus on improving student achievement and socioeconomic integration across all districts in the Learning Community
Linking of funding for students in poverty to meaningful education plans that address truancy, parental involvement, student mobility and professional development
Elementary learning centers that offer a broad range of services, including tutoring, mentoring, after-school programs, summer programs, and assistance with literacy issues, to support student success at an early age
Additional open enrollment opportunities for families seeking programs that meet specific student needs
Coordination of innovative services and programs for children and their parents
Cost sharing across school districts for developing new focus schools designed to train students in subjects needed in the 21^st century
Collaboration with private and non-profit sector partners that bring additional resources and expertise to addressing educational needs

What is the relationship between the Learning Community Coordinating Council and the 11 school districts?

The Learning Community Coordinating Council works in close collaboration with the 11 school districts, building on the strengths of the districts to create new pathways of success for all students. The school districts share a common tax levy base while preserving local control and independence. An advisory committee comprised of the 11 school district superintendents meets with the Council at least 4 times per year to:

Review issues related to open enrollment and proposals for focus programs, focus schools, magnet schools, and pathways;
Provide recommendations for improving academic achievement across the Learning Community; and
Provide input to the coordinating council on other issues as requested.

How will the common tax levy work?

Each school district in the Learning Community is allowed a maximum property tax levy of up to $1.05 per $100 of valuation. Within that levy:

Up to 95 cents is a common levy for all of the school districts in the Learning Community that is distributed for general operations through an equity formula established by the Legislature that includes allowances and adjustments for summer school, poverty plans and limited English proficiency plans, and is gradually implemented over a five-year period;
Up to 2 cents can be levied throughout the Learning Community for a common special building fund that is distributed based on the number of students in a district; and
The remainder can be levied at the discretion of each individual school district, and each district may seek permission from its voters to override the $1.05 maximum.