Changes to superintendent certification requirements proposed

School boards could hire superintendents lacking a certificate to administer under a bill heard by the Education Committee Jan. 28.

Currently any candidate for school superintendent must hold a certificate to administer before official employment can be offered. Under LB121, introduced by Omaha Sen. Scott Lautenbaugh, the state Board of Education could waive this requirement if petitioned by an individual school board.

“Sometimes the pool of candidates gets tighter, especially in smaller districts,” he said. “This provides a mechanism to loosen restrictions for incoming superintendents.”

Brian Halstead, representing the state Department of Education, testified in opposition to the bill, saying a problem does not exist.

“There are approximately 1,400 people holding a certificate to administer in Nebraska,” Halstead said. “We don’t have a supply issue.”

Larry Ramaekers, representing the Grand Island-Northwest Public Schools and Adams Central Public Schools, also opposed the bill. Ramaekers said his education was vital to his experience as a school superintendent.

“It would have been difficult for me to make the necessary decisions without the education I had,” he said.

No one testified in support of the bill and the committee took no immediate action on it.