State lawmakers Tuesday advanced a pair of bills ensuring Nebraska students who attend home school and AmeriCorps volunteers from across the country qualify for in-state tuition at the state's public colleges and universities.
Unlike their peers at public and private schools, students who graduate from a home school are not considered resident students, Sen. Rob Clements said, although they can apply to receive in-state tuition rates.
"This differential treatment has caused delays and confusion for Nebraska home-school graduates during their admission process," Clements said.
The Elmwood senator's bill (LB92), which has five co-sponsors, adds home-school students who complete a program of instruction to the list of residency qualifications for the purpose of tuition pricing.
Although the Legislature advanced the bill to second-round consideration, several senators said they believed the measure addressed a problem that had already been solved.
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Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue said a computer glitch within the University of Nebraska system caused some home-school students to receive notification that they weren't eligible for in-state tuition. That problem was fixed quickly after it was discovered, Blood said.
Omaha Sen. Megan Hunt also said language in the bill prohibiting public colleges and universities from discriminating against home-school students "in any way" was overly broad and potentially problematic.
Clements agreed to work with senators to tighten some of the language of the bill, which advanced on a 35-0 vote, before it goes before the Legislature again.
Senators also advanced a proposal (LB197) from Omaha Sen. Tony Vargas, which makes AmeriCorps volunteers eligible for in-state tuition in Nebraska.
Vargas, a veteran of Teach for America, said extending the opportunity to pursue a college degree at resident tuition rates would make Nebraska more attractive for the 270,000 AmeriCorps volunteers.
Sen. Mark Kolterman of Seward said LB197 was "a no-brainer."
"These are the kind of people we're trying to attract to grow our state," Kolterman said.
Before giving it their approval on a 35-0 vote, lawmakers amended the bill to remove language requiring the AmeriCorps service be completed in Nebraska.
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