Building Bright Futures is committed to improving academic performance, raising graduation rates, increasing civic and community responsibility and ensuring that all students are prepared for post-secondary education. To meet these goals, Building Bright Futures will track public policy initiatives and seek to educate policymakers on issues that have an impact on the education, health, and well-being of all children in the metropolitan area. 

2011 Highlights & Accomplishments

• As lawmakers worked to address to a significant budget shortfall during the 2011 legislative session, BBF continued to highlight the importance of quality early child care, adequate school funding, and access to health care providers.  While cuts were made to these programs, the final budget reductions for child care, K-12 education, and Kid Connection were significantly less than the initial budget recommendations.

• Throughout the 2011 Legislative Session, BBF collaborated closely with Voices for Children to obtain and analyze data regarding the impact of the elimination of universal prenatal care on birth outcomes.  As 2010 and 2011 Vital Statistics birth data is finalized, BBF and Voices will continue this analysis to demonstrate the negative consequences of this policy action and will work with policymakers during the summer and fall of 2011 to prepare to address this issue in 2012.

• BBF continues to be a leading member of the Nebraska Child Health Alliance.  During the most recent legislative session, the Nebraska Child Health Alliance hosted a collaborative meeting of child health and education advocates and state senators to discuss legislation and the impact of recent state policy decisions.  In 2011, the Alliance advocated for the need to restore universal access to prenatal care, avoid deep cuts to Medicaid and early childhood programs, and the need for a balanced approach to closing the state’s budget gap. BBF worked with the 11 public school superintendents to develop the Superintendents' Plan to Improve Student Attendance in Douglas and Sarpy Counties.  The superintendents' plan puts greater emphasis on information sharing between schools and law enforcement and social service agencies.  It also calls for schools to take a more active role in addressing attendance problems at the onset, by reaching out to parents when a student begins to show signs of an attendance problem.  BBF worked closely with Senator Brad Ashford on LB 463, which initiated these changes.

• It is clear that too many Nebraska children are affected by elevated blood lead levels but are not tested for exposure.  For that reason, BBF supported efforts by State Senator Brenda Council to require blood lead testing of all children prior to school enrollment.  LB 204 was passed by the Legislature, but vetoed by the Governor.  Going forward, BBF will continue to work to advance this critical policy for the health and well-being of Nebraska children.

Nebraska Benefit Programs