Nebraska Department of Education selects DIBELS eighth edition as single statewide reading screener

At the March 6 State Board of Education meeting, Commissioner Maher announced that the Nebraska Department of Education selected the DIBELS (Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills) eighth edition as the single statewide screening instrument for early reading.

Maher said the move supports the Nebraska Reading Improvement Act (2018) and the department's goal of reaching at least 75% of third-graders reading at a proficient level. He said the department examined technical adequacy, classification accuracy, content coverage and usability with external partners and researchers and that the selection aims to bring greater uniformity, strengthen student identification, clarify results for families, and help the state meet its literacy targets.

"The DIBELS eighth edition is the selection of the Nebraska Department of Education to be used as a single statewide screener," Maher said. He told the board that about a quarter of Nebraska districts already use DIBELS and that the department will require the screener for the 2027'28 school year to give districts a year-plus to plan training, budgeting and contractual transitions.

Board members asked about practical impacts, including how the bill environment and staffing might interact with retention policies and district teacher shortages. Maher acknowledged the department had not specified impacts on third-grade classroom staffing and said those operational questions may require further dialogue with districts.

The announcement was part of the commissioner's report; it does not itself change statute or immediately impose enforcement, but it sets the assessment the department expects districts to adopt for state-aligned reading identification and progress monitoring.