U.S. Department of Education pulls grant from LPS to provide school-based mental health services

May 2, 2025

On April 29,  Lincoln Public Schools received a notice of non-continuation from the U.S. Department of Education that the grant awarded in 2023 used to provide school-based mental health services would not continue past the current budget period of December 31, 2025. 

LPS received the five-year $7 million competitive grant to assist in providing school-based mental health services to add 18 elementary counselor positions and increase mental health supports within the district. LPS was required to provide a 25% match. 

“We can sustain the current program for the 2025-2026 school year,” said Interim Superintendent John Skretta. “There is an appeal process and we plan to exhaust all efforts to appeal the decision.”

LPS was not the only school district in the nation to learn the grant had been discontinued. 

“This appears to be one of a broad swath of notifications delivered to public school districts across the nation based on the U.S. DOE’s assertion that the school-based mental health grant funding is not consistent with priorities of the current federal administration,” added Skretta. “Obviously the highly qualified and dedicated LPS team members filling these positions are providing critical supports to students, and we will advocate for reinstituting these funds.”

LPS has had a long-standing goal to provide a counselor in every school. Skretta said that goal remains unchanged and the district will continue to work through its annual budgetary processes working towards this outcome and other priorities. 
  
LPS does not have any plans at this time to change the current counseling positions as the notice came after the Nebraska required reduction in force deadline of April 15. 

Skretta said, “It is important to remember that LPS is a large school system with a number of vacancies in any given year. We do not foresee a reduction in force as necessary and we will work to retain our personnel and place the staff currently employed in other positions as necessary. 

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