Highlights of the May 26 Lincoln Board of Education regular meeting

May 26, 2026

The Lincoln Board of Education held its regular meeting on Tuesday, May 26, at 6:00 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Schools Steve Joel District Leadership Center, 5905 O Street. You can watch the full video of the regular meeting here.

Special reports, presentations and celebrations of success

LPS and Lincoln Food Bank Extra Mile Walk recognition

The LPS Business Affairs team gave an update on the amount raised during the Extra Mile Walk. They were joined by Lincoln Food Bank President and Chief Executive Officer Michaella Kumke and Chief Relationship Officer John Mabry. 

This year, over $211,801 was raised during the campaign and an additional $200,000 was donated by the Acklie Charitable Foundation bringing the total raised in 2026 to $411,801. The amount raised can help fund approximately 823,602 meals. Top fundraisers in LPS included:

  • Top elementary school: Maxey Elementary, $8,521.79
  • Top middle school: Mickle Middle School, $1,949.25
  • Top high school: Standing Bear High School, $967.01
  • Top LPS department: LPS Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment $3,889.81

You can watch a highlight of the Extra Mile Walk presentation here.

First reading

Evaluation and proposed contract for the superintendent

One of the most important responsibilities of the Board is the evaluation of the Lincoln Public Schools superintendent. The primary purpose of the evaluation is to assess the superintendent’s performance in managing the school district and improve student learning. Board Policy 8350 states that the Board president will present a summary of the superintendent’s annual evaluation at a regularly scheduled Board meeting. 

To facilitate the effective and efficient evaluation of the Superintendent, the Board follows an evaluation timeline and uses an evaluation instrument approved by the Nebraska Department of Education. 

Board President Piyush Srivastav read highlights of the superintendent’s evaluation which included:

  • Skretta has cultivated strong positive relationships with the Board.
  • He has ensured that we project a positive image of the school district and he elicits respect within the school community, agency partners, and peer districts.
  • Skretta has cultivated and encouraged collaborative relationships with district stakeholders across Lincoln. 
  • He has established and nurtured collaborative relationships with our staff.
  • Skretta has modeled honesty and integrity and a steady focus on student learning.
  • He has worked diligently with our district and building level leaders to strive for goal attainment on our Strategic Plan-aligned goals and priorities.

“We look forward to our continued work ahead and the instrumental role of the superintendent in supporting the Board of Education to ensure we realize our shared mission and vision to provide a high quality public education that prepares all our LPS students for success in careers, lifelong learning and civic engagement,” added Srivastav. “While we acknowledge there are great challenges ahead, we know that together, no obstacle is insurmountable.”

After the evaluation, the Board will consider a proposed contract with a 4.34% salary increase for Skretta starting with the 2026-2027 school year. The other LPS employee groups negotiated agreements recently approved by the Board include certificated staff salary increase at 4.34%, technicians salary increase at 3.21%, administrators salary increase at 4.26% and custodial salary increase at 3.93%. Later, the Board will consider a proposed 3.90% increase in salary for nutrition service workers and a proposed 3.89% increase in salary for paraeducators. 

You can find a full copy of the proposed superintendent contract on the LPS website. The Board will hold a second reading and vote on the superintendent’s evaluation and proposed contract at the next meeting.

Newly annexed property to the City of Lincoln

The Board of Education assigns school attendance areas to property newly annexed to the City of Lincoln. This action establishes school attendance areas prior to the sale of residential lots, allowing purchasers to know what schools their children will attend.

The area of Grandale West PUD south of Rokeby Road along 40th Street was recently annexed into the City of Lincoln. The proposal assigns the newly annexed area to Cavett Elementary School, Moore Middle School and Southwest High School. 

The Board will hold a second reading and vote on the proposal at the next meeting.

Operations parking lot paving package

Staff recommended the Board consider the lowest responsible bid for a parking lot paving project at the LPS Operations facility. Because of construction timelines, the Board waived second reading and voted to approve the bid from McGill Restoration for $548,880.32.

Property Surplus and Sale Process

Due to proposal timelines, the Board waived second reading and voted to approve listing and selling surplus property. 

Information will be available to the public on all properties beginning June 1, by contacting the LPS Purchasing Department. 

The properties being surplused include:

  • Approximately 20-acre tract of undeveloped real estate located east of South 84th Street and north of Van Dorn Street commonly known as the “Loibl Site”. Bids on this property will be due by June 25, at 2:00 p.m.
  • The residential house that is located at 1030 West Q Street on the Lakeview Elementary School campus. Bids will be due by June 18, at 2:00 p.m. The winning bid would be responsible for moving the house off of the property.
  • West of Northwest High School near 800 NW 56th Street, a residential house and a barn. The bids will be due by June 18, at 2:00 p.m. The winning bid would be responsible for moving the house and the barn off of the property.

Property transactions following the bidding process would follow the two-reading process before a vote of the Board.

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Proposals were requested from interested vendors to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to be delivered to all school cafeterias as needed during the 2026-2027 school year, with renewals for 2027-2028 and 2028-2029 school years. The proposed bid is from Greenberg Fruit Co., Inc for an estimated $850,000.

The Board will hold a second reading and vote on the proposed bid at the next meeting.

Proposed agreements with Nutrition Services Workers Association and Lincoln Paraeducators Association for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 contract years

LPS recognizes the Nutrition Services Workers Association and Lincoln Paraeducators Association as the exclusive bargaining agents to negotiate salary, fringe benefits, and working conditions for the members of their respective employee groups. Representatives from both groups met with the LPS chief negotiated and propose the following two-year negotiated agreement:

Nutrition Services 

  • The total package for 2026-2027 is 5.05%, which includes a 3.90% salary increase and an increase to the service year stipend.
  • The total package for 2027-2028 is 5.15%, which includes a 3.18% salary increase.

Paraeducators

  • The total package for 2026-2027 is 4.72%, which includes a 3.89% salary increase, and an increase to the service year stipend for those at 15-19 years and 20+ year employee tiers.
  • The total package for 2027-2028 is 4.81%, which includes a 3.54% salary increase, and an increase to the service year stipend for those at 15-19 years and 20+ year employee tiers.

All agreements also include increases in FICA and retirement costs and an estimated 7.44% increase in health insurance premiums. The District will cover 80% of the out-of-pocket health insurance increase for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 years. The full negotiated agreements can be found online.

The Board will hold a second reading and vote on the negotiated agreements at the next meeting.

Second reading

Policy 5520 – Student fees

The Board annually reviews and approves Policy 5520 to ensure that its policy is in accordance with the Public Elementary and Secondary Student Fees Authorization Act. 

The district’s general policy is to provide for the free instruction in school in accordance with the Nebraska Constitution and state and federal law. This generally means that the school district’s policy is to provide free instruction for courses that are required by state law or regulation and to provide the staff, facility, equipment, and materials necessary for such instruction without charge or fee to the students.

The school district does provide activities, programs, and services to children that extend beyond the minimum level of constitutionally required free instruction. Students and their parents have historically contributed to the district’s efforts to provide such activities, programs, and services. The district’s general policy is to continue to encourage and to the extent permitted by law, to require such student and parent contributions to enhance the educational program provided by the district.

The Board held a second reading and voted to approve the policy revisions.

Policy 4620 – Human Resources

The Board periodically reviews and revises policies to align with current practices or meet requirements set forth by local, state or federal laws and regulations.

A Nebraska law went into effect on May 1, 2026 that modifies reemployment rules for school employee retirement plan members who separate from the district. The proposed policy changes align with the law requirements. 

In the policy revisions, it states that the district will not reemploy or have conversations about reemployment with retirement plan members who are taking a distribution until after the mandatory 120-day sit out period.

The Board held a second reading and voted to approve the policy revisions.

Informational items and reports

Finance Committee

Committee chair Annie Mumgaard reported that the committee is busy working on the preliminary proposed 2026-2027 Budget. 

Superintendent update

LPS Superintendent John Skretta opened his remarks by celebrating the approximately 3,088 graduates that walked across the stage at Pinnacle Bank Arena over the weekend. 

“Graduates, we can’t wait to see what you accomplish next,” added Skretta. “Remember the future belongs to those who dare to shape and create it!”

Skretta also reinforced Mumgaard’s remarks about the 2026-2027 budget process and the upcoming opportunities for the public to be involved through work sessions and forums. More information about the 2026-2027 preliminary proposed budget will be available in June on the LPS website.

Skretta wrapped up his update by sharing that late registrations are still open for high school students interested in taking summer school classes. Summer school starts Thursday, May 28, at Lincoln High School.

Public comment

There were no individuals that addressed the Board during the public comment period. 

Glimpses of LPS

We open every Board meeting with a video that highlights LPS. Tuesday’s Glimpses highlighted the Hope Squad at Northeast High School. You can watch Glimpses on YouTube.

Published: May 26, 2026, Updated: May 26, 2026