The ESU 10 Title III consortium supports approximately 400 English learners and the educators who work with them.
It consists of 21 districts from the ESU 10 region and 2 districts from the ESU 17 region. The member districts include:
- ESU 10 Districts: Gibbon Public Schools, Broken Bow Public Schools, Cozad Community Schools, Riverside Public Schools, Elm Creek Public Schools, Shelton Public Schools, Ravenna Public Schools, Sargent Public Schools, Overton Public Schools, SEM Public Schools, Central Valley Public Schools, Northwest Public Schools, Wood River Rural Schools, Gothenburg Public Schools, Ord Public Schools, Arnold Public Schools, Burwell Public Schools, Loup City Public Schools, Centura Public Schools, Ansley Public Schools and St. Paul Public Schools
- ESU 17 Districts: Valentine Community Schools and Ainsworth Community Schools.
Enrollment Trends
Since last year, the consortium has added two new districts, Ansley and St.Paul, while retaining all existing member districts.
Callaway Public Schools may also be joining next year as they have recently enrolled English learners for the first time in several years.
The number of verified English learners has also grown significantly. The Nebraska Department of Education records English learner enrollment annually in June:
- June 2022: 321 students
- June 2023: 358 students
- June 2024: 394 students
- June 2025: 406 students
These numbers do not include Grand Island Public Schools, Kearney Public Schools, or Lexington Public Schools.
Among the member districts, Gibbon Public Schools has the highest English learner enrollment, with around 90 students,
while 10 districts have fewer than 5 English learners enrolled.
Title III Grant Requirements
Under the Title III grant, the consortium focuses on fulfilling the following required activities:
- Providing Effective Language Instruction: Delivering programs that meet the needs of English learners and demonstrate success in increasing English proficiency and academic achievement.
- Professional Development: Offering training for classroom teachers, principals, administrators, and community-based personnel to improve the instruction and assessment of English learners.
- Enhancing Language Instruction Programs: Implementing activities and strategies that include parent, family, and community engagement and align with related programs.
Consortium Activities and Resources
To meet these requirements, the consortium provides a range of opportunities and resources:
Meetings and Collaboration
The consortium holds two in-person meetings annually. The first meeting, held in December, focused on available materials and resources.
The second meeting, scheduled for the spring, will include time for program reviews and the preparation of written summary reports required by Rule 15.
Professional Learning Opportunities
Virtual and in-person professional development sessions are available upon request. These typically involve small group consultations with teachers who directly work with English learners.
Teachers can ask questions, review resources, and collaborate on best practices.
For EL specialists, as well as content-area and grade-level teachers, there will be a two-day workshop in June titled Teacher Habits that Support Language Learning.
Throughout the summer, district EL specialists will also have the opportunity to participate in book studies. Participants will select a book of interest related to language acquisition,
and we will meet three times over the summer to discuss key takeaways and develop practical resources that can be used to support content-area and grade-level teachers throughout the school year.
In addition, a curriculum workday will be offered so teachers can get a head start on planning and preparation for the beginning of the year.
The Title III Consortium will provide contracted services pay for teachers in participating districts to compensate them for their time.
Supplemental Digital Resources
English Language Development (ELD) teachers have access to a variety of tools, including:
Ellii and Equipping ELLs for lesson plans and resources.
Raz-Plus ELL Edition to support elementary learners in reading.
Smore: Digital newsletters that provide translation for family and community engagement.
AIR Language, LingoLift, Speakology: Artificial intelligence tools that support Language Acquisition.
Title III Funding
Congress recently passed the fiscal 2026 federal education budget, averting further cuts and maintaining level funding for most existing K-12 programs compared with the prior year.
Under the final legislation, funding for key formula grants—including Title III, which supports English learner programs—remains roughly flat year over year after earlier proposals had suggested deep reductions or eliminations.
This outcome provides continuity for districts in planning and delivering services to English learners in the coming school year.
Source: Education Week, February 2026