LINCOLN, Neb.-- 

In a few months, Nebraskans could get an idea of what the future of school funding looks like.

The Nebraska School Financing Review Commission is expected to release its first report on funding public schools in December.

The commission was formed by the Legislature to develop a plan to fix Nebraska’s school funding formula while continuing to ease the burden on property taxpayers.

The Nebraska State Education Association said it will be closely watching the results of the first report, hoping it means more money from the state will be allocated to Nebraska schools.

“No voter, no resident should have to choose between reasonable property taxes and high-quality schools. We feel that both should be able to happen, but there needs to be a recalibration in order for it to happen,” said Tim Royers, president of the Nebraska State Education Association.

More than $1.03 billion is being allocated to public schools out of the state general fund this fiscal year — an increase of about 2.6%.

But Royers said the current school funding mechanism, known as TEEOSA, prevents some schools from seeing the full benefit.

He pointed to a recent example in the Millard Public Schools district, which saw a reduction in state aid the year after lowering its property tax levy by 11 cents.

Royers said that’s an example of the current formula punishing districts that try to do right by their taxpayers.

“I think until we start fixing those kinds of structural problems with the school funding formula, that’s another reason why we’re going to be having the same conversation,” Royers said. “Because even if we put 5% more funding into TEEOSA, if the formula doesn’t actually account for what our local communities are invested in, we’re not going to adequately fix this issue.”

The review commission’s report is expected in about six weeks, even though the group has not yet been fully seated.

The law requires one commission member to be a current public school teacher. But Royers said that despite multiple teachers applying for the position, the governor’s office has yet to pick someone to fill the 18th and final seat.