Public Agenda was asked by the Nebraska State Board of Education and the Nebraska Department of Education (referred to hereafter as the State Board and the NDE) to help design and implement a public engagement process that would allow a cross-section of the state's citizens to comment on the central ideas contained in the document "Equitable Opportunities For an Essential Education For All Students--Recommendations for Nebraska Public School Districts" (referred to hereafter as the "Essential Education Document"). Toward that end Public Agenda conducted focus groups and community conversations with over 370 parents, students, educators and members of the general public from roughly 25 districts, including Aurora, Battle Creek, Beatrice, Gibbon, Hay Springs, Kearney, Lincoln, Norfolk, urban and suburban Omaha, and Stanton. Findings include: (1) People have an expansive vision of the educational opportunities that should be available to all students, and their views are generally consistent with the State Board's thinking; (2) Gaps in the existing essential educational opportunities; (3) Most people felt it is highly appropriate for the State Board/NDE to take a leading role in working on the concept of an essential education; and (4) Caveats and Concerns. Notes from Community Conversations in Grand Island, Gering and Papillion-La Vista are appended. (Contains 5 footnotes.) [This paper was presented to the Nebraska State Board of Education.]