A practical guide for Nebraska educators and administrators on the state's Social, Emotional and Behavioral Learning (SEBL) framework, the health education standards' mental and emotional content, and the free statewide implementation support available through NeMTSS.
Nebraska does not mandate standalone SEL standards. What it has built instead is one of the most practically useful statewide SEL support systems in the country: the NeMTSS SEBL framework, staffed by regional specialists across five zones who provide free, evidence-based professional development and implementation support to any Nebraska school that wants it.[1]
Nebraska uses the term SEBL, Social, Emotional and Behavioral Learning, rather than SEL. The addition of “Behavioral” is deliberate. It reflects Nebraska's integration of social-emotional skill development with positive behavioral outcomes, connecting the internal competencies (self-awareness, emotional regulation) to the external behaviors (classroom participation, conflict resolution, school engagement) that schools need to see change.[1][2]
For Nebraska elementary schools, the landscape includes health education standards that require instruction in mental, emotional, and social health, a statewide SEBL support system that provides free implementation assistance, and the NeMTSS framework that embeds SEBL within a multi-tiered system of supports. The mandates are lighter than some states. The support infrastructure is stronger than many.
The NeMTSS SEBL Framework
What It Is
NeMTSS (Nebraska Multi-Tiered System of Supports) is a statewide initiative managed through the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Nebraska Center for Research on Children, Youth, Families and Schools (CYFS) in partnership with the Nebraska Department of Education.[1][2] Within NeMTSS, the Social, Emotional and Behavioral Learning (SEBL) component provides evidence-based professional development and implementation support to build educators' capacity to practice, teach, and model SEBL competencies among adults and students to improve school climate, culture, and learning.[2]
The Adults-First Approach
Nebraska's SEBL framework takes a distinctive position: adults come first. The framework emphasizes that schools must have supportive staff environments and build capacity among adults before focusing on student SEBL development.[2] This is not a philosophical preference. It is a research-grounded implementation principle. Teachers who are emotionally regulated themselves model regulation for students. Adults who practice empathy and respectful communication create the conditions where students can develop those same skills.
The Nebraska Implementation Sequence
Adult Capacity
Staff SEL skills & wellbeing
School Climate
Safe, supportive environment
Student Instruction
Explicit SEBL teaching
Student Outcomes
Measurable growth
Nebraska builds from adults outward — you cannot teach what you have not practiced yourself
Statewide Regional Support
NeMTSS provides SEBL implementation support through integrated support specialists organized across five regions covering the entire state.[3] These specialists provide:
- Evidence-based professional development
- Implementation planning and coaching
- Data-based decision-making support
- Alignment with PBIS, Pyramid Model, and comprehensive school mental health
- Ongoing consultation and technical assistance
This support is free to Nebraska schools. A district that wants to implement structured SEBL instruction can contact their regional specialist and receive professional development, planning support, and ongoing coaching at no cost.
1
Panhandle & West
Rural/frontier districts
2
North Central
Sandhills & north
3
Central & South
Grand Island area
4
Northeast
Norfolk & metro fringe
5
Metro & East
Omaha & Lincoln
Every Nebraska school has access to a free SEBL specialist — contact mtss-sebl@unl.edu
The SEBL Skills Web
In 2024, the NeMTSS SEBL specialists updated their Skills Web, a visual tool that maps the specific social, emotional, and behavioral skills that contribute to student success.[4] The Skills Web identifies skills across domains that correspond to CASEL's five competencies and provides educators with a quick reference for identifying skills they may already be teaching and skills they should prioritize.
NeMTSS states that “educators see the most impact when SEBL skills are explicitly taught and embedded within academic instruction.”[4] This positions SEBL not as a separate subject but as skills integrated into the full school day, consistent with the research on effective SEL implementation.
SEBL Outcomes
NeMTSS documents the following outcomes from systematic SEBL implementation:[2]
Students
Improved academic outcomes, stronger sense of self, increased ability to manage mental health, positive outcomes throughout the lifespan
Educators
Increased mental wellbeing, greater job satisfaction, improved classroom management, stronger feelings of connectedness
Schools and Districts
Higher academic marks and graduation rates, focused data-based decision-making, positive climate and culture, financial return on investment
Communities
Increased job preparedness, improved financial autonomy, integration of SEBL competencies, greater educational equity
Nebraska Health Education Standards
What the Standards Require
Nebraska's Health Education Standards, currently under revision, include social-emotional content at every grade level. The first standard directly addresses social-emotional development:[5]
Standard 1:
“Students will recognize the relationship between the physical, mental/emotional and social aspects of a healthy individual.”
Standard 2:
“Students will exhibit knowledge for decision-making while analyzing the influences and potential outcomes of the decision.”
Standard 1 requires instruction that connects physical, mental, emotional, and social health, positioning social-emotional development as an essential component of health education. Standard 2 addresses responsible decision-making within a health context.
How These Map to CASEL
| Nebraska Health Education Standard | CASEL Competency |
|---|---|
| Recognize mental/emotional aspects of health | Self-Awareness |
| Recognize social aspects of health | Social Awareness |
| Decision-making analyzing influences and outcomes | Responsible Decision-Making |
| Health-enhancing behaviors and self-management | Self-Management |
| Interpersonal communication for health | Relationship Skills |
A CASEL-aligned curriculum addresses every social-emotional element in Nebraska's Health Education Standards.
Rule 10 Accreditation
Nebraska's accreditation requirements (Rule 10, Nebraska Administrative Code Chapter 10) include Personal Health and Physical Fitness as required curriculum, specifying 20 instructional units or two years of daily classes.[6] The health education content within this requirement includes mental, emotional, and social health instruction. Schools that do not address the social-emotional content within health education are not meeting accreditation standards.
The PBIS Connection
Nebraska has a well-established Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (NPBIS) infrastructure that integrates with the SEBL framework.[1] PBIS provides the behavioral support system. SEBL provides the skill-building component. Together, they form a comprehensive approach: teach the social-emotional skills (SEBL) and create the environmental supports (PBIS) that reinforce those skills in daily school life.
For elementary schools already implementing PBIS, adding structured SEBL instruction through a comprehensive curriculum completes the system by providing the explicit skill instruction that PBIS behavioral expectations assume students have.
How to Build an Elementary Program Within Nebraska's Framework
Step 1: Contact Your NeMTSS Regional Specialist
The most practical first step for any Nebraska school is to connect with the NeMTSS SEBL specialist in your region.[3] These specialists provide free support for planning, implementing, and sustaining SEBL instruction. They can help you assess your current practices, identify gaps, select appropriate curriculum, and plan professional development.
Contact: mtss-sebl@unl.edu
Step 2: Address Health Education Standards
Document how your instruction covers the mental, emotional, and social health content within Nebraska's Health Education Standards. A comprehensive scope and sequence delivered through weekly lessons addresses this content while building broader SEBL competencies.
Step 3: Align With the SEBL Skills Web
Map your curriculum to the NeMTSS SEBL Skills Web to identify coverage across social, emotional, and behavioral domains.[4] The Skills Web provides a visual framework for ensuring comprehensive instruction and identifying any skills that need additional attention.
Step 4: Integrate With PBIS
If your school implements PBIS, position your SEBL instruction as the skill-building complement to your behavioral expectations. PBIS defines what behavior is expected. SEBL instruction teaches the skills that make those behaviors possible.
When your PBIS matrix says “Be Respectful,” your SEBL curriculum teaches what respect looks like, why it matters, and how to practice it.
When your PBIS matrix says “Be Responsible,” your SEBL curriculum teaches responsibility as a skill with specific components.
When your PBIS matrix says “Be Safe,” your SEBL curriculum teaches self-regulation and decision-making skills that keep students safe.
Step 5: Start With Adults
Follow Nebraska's adults-first model. Before implementing SEBL instruction for students, invest in adult SEBL development. This can include professional development on self-regulation and stress management for teachers, training on conflict resolution and restorative practices for all staff, and building a school culture where adult wellbeing is prioritized. NeMTSS regional specialists can provide this professional development at no cost.
Step 6: Embed in MTSS
Position your SEBL instruction within your multi-tiered system:
Tier 1
Universal SEBL instruction delivered weekly to all students, teaching social, emotional, and behavioral skills explicitly and embedding them in academic instruction.
Tier 2
Targeted small-group support for students needing additional skill practice, coordinated with PBIS Tier 2 interventions.
Tier 3
Individualized intervention for students with significant needs, including IEP-aligned goals.
Step 7: Connect to School Safety
Social-emotional skills support school safety directly. Students who can regulate emotions produce fewer behavioral incidents. Students who can resolve conflicts de-escalate situations independently. Students who trust adults report concerns. Document these connections to strengthen your program's institutional justification.
Nebraska's Rural and Small-District Context
Nebraska has 244 school districts, many serving small, rural communities. The realities of these settings shape what SEBL implementation can look like:
- Limited staff: Many schools have one counselor serving multiple buildings or no counselor at all. SEBL instruction delivered by classroom teachers through a ready-to-use curriculum reaches students consistently regardless of counselor availability.
- Limited technology: Device-free, teacher-led programs work where technology infrastructure is unreliable.
- Minimal prep time: Teachers in small districts wear multiple hats. Programs requiring five minutes of prep or less per lesson are the ones that get used consistently.
- Growing multilingual population: Nebraska's meatpacking communities and agricultural centers have significant Hispanic/Latino populations. Bilingual English and Spanish curriculum supports equitable access.
- NeMTSS support is available everywhere: Even the most rural Nebraska district can access free SEBL implementation support through the regional specialist system. Geography is not a barrier to getting started.
Choosing a Curriculum for Nebraska Schools
When selecting curriculum for your Nebraska elementary school, verify that the program:
Addresses the Health Education Standards' social-emotional content
Mental, emotional, and social health must be covered at every elementary grade level.
Aligns with the NeMTSS SEBL Skills Web
Covering the full range of social, emotional, and behavioral skills the Skills Web identifies ensures comprehensive instruction.
Explicitly teaches skills, not just knowledge
NeMTSS emphasizes that “educators see the most impact when SEBL skills are explicitly taught and embedded within academic instruction.” Programs with active practice, role-play, discussion, and scenario-based learning meet this standard.
Integrates with PBIS
If your school uses PBIS, the SEBL curriculum should complement your behavioral expectations by teaching the underlying skills.
Provides grade-band differentiation
K-2 and 3-5 students need different vocabulary, complexity, and approaches.
Offers a full-year scope and sequence
Weekly instruction across the school year produces skill development. Isolated lessons do not.
Supports bilingual learners
Nebraska's growing multilingual population benefits from bilingual curriculum.
Works in rural and small-district settings
No device requirements, minimal prep, all materials included.
Connects to school safety
SEBL skills directly support the safe school environments all Nebraska communities prioritize.
What to Avoid
Overlooking the free NeMTSS support
Nebraska provides free, statewide SEBL implementation support through regional specialists. Schools that implement SEBL instruction without connecting to this support miss the professional development, coaching, and technical assistance that makes implementation sustainable.
Treating PBIS and SEBL as separate initiatives
PBIS without SEBL is behavioral management without skill instruction. SEBL without PBIS is skill instruction without environmental reinforcement. Nebraska's framework integrates them intentionally. Schools should too.
Assuming Nebraska has no expectations
Health education standards require mental, emotional, and social health content. Rule 10 accreditation requires health education. NeMTSS provides a statewide SEBL framework with free support. The infrastructure exists. The expectations, while not labeled as mandates, are clearly communicated through the systems Nebraska has built.
Ignoring the adults-first principle
Nebraska's SEBL framework explicitly prioritizes adult competence before student instruction. Schools that implement SEBL curriculum for students without addressing adult wellbeing and capacity miss the foundation the framework requires.
Final Thoughts
Nebraska has taken a support-first approach to SEBL: build the infrastructure, staff the regions, provide the training, and let schools implement at their own pace with expert guidance. The NeMTSS SEBL framework, the regional specialist network, the SEBL Skills Web, and the PBIS integration create a system that is available to every Nebraska school regardless of size, location, or resources.
For Nebraska elementary schools, the path forward involves connecting with your NeMTSS regional specialist, selecting a CASEL-aligned curriculum that addresses health education standards and aligns with the SEBL Skills Web, integrating with your PBIS framework, investing in adult SEBL development, and delivering instruction consistently through weekly lessons across the school year.
The support is free. The specialists are available. The framework is in place. The students need the skills. Nebraska has made it as easy as possible to start. The rest is up to each school.
References
- NeMTSS. (n.d.). SEBL archive: Social, emotional and behavioral learning. https://nemtss.unl.edu/sebl-archive/
- NeMTSS. (n.d.). CYFS Social, Emotional and Behavioral Learning (SEBL) support. https://nemtss.unl.edu/sebl-archive/cyfs-sebl-archive
- NeMTSS. (n.d.). SEBL support. https://nemtss.unl.edu/supports/sebl/
- NeMTSS. (2024). Introducing the NeMTSS SEBL Skills Web. https://nemtss.unl.edu/2024/03/04/introducing-the-nemtss-sebl-skills-web/
- Nebraska Department of Education. (2021). Nebraska Health Education Standards (Draft 2). https://cdn.education.ne.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/NE-Health-Education-Standards-Draft-2.pdf
- Nebraska Administrative Code, Chapter 10, Section 92-10-004. Curriculum and standards. https://regulations.justia.com/states/nebraska/education-department-of/title-92/chapter-10/section-92-10-004/
- Nebraska Department of Education. (n.d.). Health education. https://www.education.ne.gov/healthed/
- Nebraska Educational Clearinghouse. (n.d.). Social and emotional learning: Optimizing learning environments with life skills. https://teach.nebraska.gov/professional-development/social-emotional-learning-optimizing-learning-environments-life-skills
- Durlak, J. A., Weissberg, R. P., Dymnicki, A. B., Taylor, R. D., & Schellinger, K. B. (2011). The impact of enhancing students' social and emotional learning: A meta-analysis of school-based universal interventions. Child Development, 82(1), 405-432. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8624.2010.01564.x
- Cipriano, C., Strambler, M. J., Naples, L. H., et al. (2023). The state of evidence for social and emotional learning: A contemporary meta-analysis of universal school-based SEL interventions. Child Development, 94(5), 1181-1204. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13968
SEBL Skills for Nebraska Students
Be The Buffalo teaches social, emotional, and behavioral skills through 40 weeks of K-5 curriculum aligned with the NeMTSS SEBL Skills Web.
Interactive projector activities, original songs, stories, printable worksheets, and teacher guides. Bilingual English and Spanish. No student accounts. No devices. No prep. Built for rural and small-district realities.
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