Site search
sponsored by
Home
News
Douglas Education Service District Board members took what they knew could prove to be an unpopular stand Thursday night.
Instead of dividing up ESD services into three regions — a move the 13 school districts have been discussing for a few months — the board voted to keep things as they are for this year.
The ESD serves all the school districts in Douglas County except for Reedsport. Every school gets some of the services, regardless of the number of students. But the school districts pay for other services out of a pool of money that’s been divided different ways.
This year each district gets $12,500, and the rest of the money is divvied out according to the number of students in the district. That means smaller school districts get more money than they would have if the money had been divided by enrollment alone. It also means larger districts give up some of their money so the smaller districts can have equal service.
The superintendents of the school districts agreed that they would make decisions by consensus rather than majority vote for the 2008-09 school year. And they agreed on several items.
They didn’t agree on others, however, leaving the ESD board in the position of coming up with a solution.
The districts have talked about providing services in three regions of the county, hoping to get more efficiency from staff. But ESD board members have been hearing conflicting reports from school board members, superintendents and staff about what was agreed to. With schools and the ESD preparing budgets, the board decided not to change anything. For now.
ESD Superintendent Jon Hill told the board he has hired economic consultants EcoNorthwest to study how the ESD can provide services more efficiently and still be equitable to the small and large districts. Their work won’t be finished, however, until the budget process is already started.
Hill said the study will cost $12,500 and will come out of money set aside to hire consultants.
Board Chairwoman Bernis Wagner broke with tradition and allowed public comment after the motion to maintain the status quo had been made by Patrick Starnes and seconded.
South Umpqua School District Finance Director Chris Davidson was in the audience and asked to speak.
Davidson said the school districts aren’t trying to get all the ESD money they can, as ESD board member Harry McDermott had said. But limited finances and a shrinking ESD budget have made the districts talk about being more efficient.
“We’re trying to stretch our ESD dollars as far as they can go,” he said.
He understood the superintendents had all agreed the money should be divided by enrollment without the $12,500 “floor.”
Hill said that wasn’t the case. That’s why the ESD board was voting on it.
Riddle school board member Rita Snyder was also in the audience.
She said her concern was that school districts had been told the superintendents had come to consensus, and they had voted to approve the ESD service plan based on that.
Wagner said there’s no questions rumors have been flying, and that’s why she supported stepping back for a year. Then the talk about major changes can begin in the fall when there is time to work out the details.
Yoncalla was the only school district not to vote for the plan; board member Donna Murray said the board postponed a vote because it had so many unanswered questions. She said she thought the ESD board made the right decision.
Starnes said he wanted to send a message to the district that the ESD board is trying to stabilize things.
School psychologist Sue Young said she was relieved the board did not move to create the three regions. She works in several school districts, and she said she could lose her seniority, retirement and perhaps even a portion of her salary.
Still, she knows her job isn’t a sure thing next school year.
Hill said the districts will have $81,000 less to spend on services.
• You can reach reporter Teresa Williams at 957-4230 or via e-mail at twilliams@newsreview.info.
Instead of dividing up ESD services into three regions — a move the 13 school districts have been discussing for a few months — the board voted to keep things as they are for this year.
The ESD serves all the school districts in Douglas County except for Reedsport. Every school gets some of the services, regardless of the number of students. But the school districts pay for other services out of a pool of money that’s been divided different ways.
This year each district gets $12,500, and the rest of the money is divvied out according to the number of students in the district. That means smaller school districts get more money than they would have if the money had been divided by enrollment alone. It also means larger districts give up some of their money so the smaller districts can have equal service.
The superintendents of the school districts agreed that they would make decisions by consensus rather than majority vote for the 2008-09 school year. And they agreed on several items.
They didn’t agree on others, however, leaving the ESD board in the position of coming up with a solution.
The districts have talked about providing services in three regions of the county, hoping to get more efficiency from staff. But ESD board members have been hearing conflicting reports from school board members, superintendents and staff about what was agreed to. With schools and the ESD preparing budgets, the board decided not to change anything. For now.
ESD Superintendent Jon Hill told the board he has hired economic consultants EcoNorthwest to study how the ESD can provide services more efficiently and still be equitable to the small and large districts. Their work won’t be finished, however, until the budget process is already started.
Hill said the study will cost $12,500 and will come out of money set aside to hire consultants.
Board Chairwoman Bernis Wagner broke with tradition and allowed public comment after the motion to maintain the status quo had been made by Patrick Starnes and seconded.
South Umpqua School District Finance Director Chris Davidson was in the audience and asked to speak.
Davidson said the school districts aren’t trying to get all the ESD money they can, as ESD board member Harry McDermott had said. But limited finances and a shrinking ESD budget have made the districts talk about being more efficient.
“We’re trying to stretch our ESD dollars as far as they can go,” he said.
He understood the superintendents had all agreed the money should be divided by enrollment without the $12,500 “floor.”
Hill said that wasn’t the case. That’s why the ESD board was voting on it.
Riddle school board member Rita Snyder was also in the audience.
She said her concern was that school districts had been told the superintendents had come to consensus, and they had voted to approve the ESD service plan based on that.
Wagner said there’s no questions rumors have been flying, and that’s why she supported stepping back for a year. Then the talk about major changes can begin in the fall when there is time to work out the details.
Yoncalla was the only school district not to vote for the plan; board member Donna Murray said the board postponed a vote because it had so many unanswered questions. She said she thought the ESD board made the right decision.
Starnes said he wanted to send a message to the district that the ESD board is trying to stabilize things.
School psychologist Sue Young said she was relieved the board did not move to create the three regions. She works in several school districts, and she said she could lose her seniority, retirement and perhaps even a portion of her salary.
Still, she knows her job isn’t a sure thing next school year.
Hill said the districts will have $81,000 less to spend on services.
• You can reach reporter Teresa Williams at 957-4230 or via e-mail at twilliams@newsreview.info.
