The Future of NCIS - We will be here for YOU!

It is official. NCIS staff received a letter from Richard Katt, Director of Nebraska Career Education (NCE), stating that the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) will no longer provide grant support for NCIS.

In place of the support for NCIS, the NDE will be providing support for the Nebraska Career Management System (NCMS) which is powered by the information, sorts, and website developed by Kuder.com.

Katt met with the NCIS Advisory Board to respond to questions and provide additional information about the NMCS. A pilot version will be available in January, 2006. (I have learned that some ESUs are asking for sites to pilot and review this version.) The fully developed version is to be available in the fall of 2006. Katt indicated that the site is to be free and that state and local data as well as statewide training would be provided by Kuder.

On a positive note, Katt indicated that districts could continue to use Perkins dollars for any career planning programs and tools they choose.

NCIS is going to continue operations and plans to be providing services for the children and adults in this state for a very long time. We have sufficient funding to operate to spring, 2007, without additional infusion of funds (grants, increased fees, etc.) We will be developing a different business model with assistance from other CIS states. In addition, intoCareers, who contracts to do programming and provides server space for CIS, will be very helpful during this transition period.

NCIS is developing side-by-side comparisons of content and functions in CIS for Internet and NCMS. If this information would be helpful during your district's decision making process, please contact us and we will provide it for you. Also, if there is any other information or documents that would be helpful, let us know. A pilot site for the NCMS is available to review at http://ne.kuder.com

Thank you so very much for your support for NCIS, but, more importantly, for your support for career education and planning for children and adults in this state.