About the Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy
The Northeast Nebraska Teacher Academy (NENTA) was developed to alleviate a serious substitute teacher shortage in Northeast Nebraska. Wayne State College students are used to augment the regular substitute teaching force. Having additional substitutes available provides regular teachers the opportunity to take advantage of professional development opportunities. This allows our partner school districts to enhance the quality of the teaching and learning experience for everyone. The program also improves the quality of instruction provided by substitutes through instructional workshops, on-site mentoring by teachers and administrators, and the use of a standardized lesson planning format - all of which have a positive impact on PK-12 student learning.
Why participate?
Faculty members hold biweekly seminars with NENTA participants to ensure ongoing training and development. You’ll be an experienced teacher by the time you graduate, which means your job prospects will be a lot brighter, and your nervous days will be behind you when you meet your first class. Plus, you can earn up to $210 per day while substitute teaching.
For more info, contact:
Tiffany Plager
Brandenburg Education Building, Room 206
402-375-7380
[email protected]
Program information
Current students are notified by email that they may qualify to be a member of NENTA and will be invited to attend an informational meeting. Meetings are held each semester, and you’ll be required to attend a meeting the semester before you can participate. Students who do not receive emails are also welcome to attend. You’ll also need to apply for a local substitute license through the Nebraska Department of Education. As a member of NENTA, this license allows you to sub in any school district in ESU 1, 2, 7, 8, or 17. Once in the program, you’ll be notified about sub jobs through phone calls, text messages, and the Subfinder website. You are required to sub at least twice during the semester and complete a reflection form for each job. As a sub, you are an employee of the school district and will be paid by the school. Each school has their own daily rate at which they pay subs, typically ranging from $130 to $210 per day.
You may be placed as a substitute in any of the following school districts that have partnered with NENTA.
- Allen
- Battle Creek
- Clarkson
- Emerson-Hubbard
- Howells-Dodge
- Laurel-Concord-Coleridge
- Leigh
- Lyons-Decatur Northeast
- Norfolk Public
- Pender
- Ponca
- Schuyler
- South Sioux City
- Stanton
- Wakefield
- Walthill
- Wayne
- Winnebago
- Winside
- Wisner-Pilger
NENTA participants have successfully completed more than 9,100 substitute teaching days and serve more than 7,000 PK-12 students in Northeast Nebraska annually. The program has positively impacted thousands of students through improved classroom instruction. Due to the large pool of highly trained, qualified substitute teachers produced by NENTA, PK-12 students are able to receive improved instruction from their regular teachers who can more readily avail themselves to professional development opportunities. NENTA also increases the retention of entry-level teachers due to the ongoing support and training they receive from Wayne State College faculty.

NENTA allowed me to experience many different classroom settings and gave me the opportunity to lead a class before I became a teacher. I gained a lot of confidence and became more flexible when adapting to many different classroom settings.
Paris Tebrink, '22
Denton, Neb.
Math Education (6-12), Special Education (7-12), ESL Eduation (PK-12)



NENTA allowed me to experience many different classroom settings and gave me the opportunity to lead a class before I became a teacher. I gained a lot of confidence and became more flexible when adapting to many different classroom settings.


Paris Tebrink, '22
Denton, Neb.
Math Education (6-12), Special Education (7-12), ESL Eduation (PK-12)
Educator preparation information
