Who We Serve	Board of Directors
Demographics	Board Meetings and Communications
Major Areas of Service	Local Area Service Plan
Outline of ESD History	Mission
Guiding Principles	Service Center Hours

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Who We Serve

The Northwest Regional ESD is the largest ESD in Oregon. We are committed to providing quality, cost-effective programs, and services to the 20 school districts in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, and Washington counties. The agency’s Regional Office is located approximately 12 miles west of Portland in Hillsboro. Service centers are located in St. Helens, Astoria, and Tillamook.

 

Demographics

• Public schools in region: 178
• K-12 students being served: 115,977.3 ADMw (ODE Estimate for 2009-10)
• Approximate square miles: 3,500
• 2009-10 Total Budget: $118,983,146 million—includes $37.2 million in State School Funding (SSF)
• Licensed, classified and administrative employees: Approximately 600
• Special Student Services represents the largest area of service provided by the Northwest Regional ESD. As of June 30, 2008, the district had served over 2,000 children—birth to age 5—in Early Intervention/Early Childhood Special Education Programs in Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook and Washington counties.
• Services were provided to over 3,000 students with autism, orthopedic impairments, vision impairments, hearing impairments, and speech impairments through the ESD’s Related Services Department. In addition, 253 students were enrolled in School Age Programs operated by NWRESD in 2007-08.

Major Areas of Service

• Special Student Services: Early Intervention (Birth to 3 years) Early Childhood Special Education (3 to 5 years); Behavioral Programs (K-12); Related Services (Birth to 21).
• Instructional Services: Curriculum and Staff Development; School Improvement Services; Math Specialist; Professional Development; Migrant/English Language Learner (ELL) Services; Northwest Outdoor Science School; GED Testing; and Title VII Indian Education Services. Professional/Technical Education: Tillamook County Health Services Academy, Tillamook Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation Program.
• Technology Services: Technology Services to Schools; Technology Network Services; Instructional Technology; Media and Videoconferencing; Application Development; and Testing & Assessment Scoring Services.
• Other Support Services: Truancy Enforcement Services; Home School Registration; Printing & Graphics Services; and Courier Services.
  

 

Outline of ESD History

Education service districts originated in Oregon’s first laws establishing a general system of common schools – a system that has maintained but changed the responsibilities and names of Oregon’s mid–level education service entity. Throughout the history of Oregon’s regional services system, local governance and state statutes concerning the mission of the ESD’s has remained somewhat constant: “Education Service Districts assist school districts and the State of Oregon achieving Oregon’s education goals by providing excellent and equitable opportunities for all Oregon public school students.” Today, there are 20 ESDs serving Oregon’s 36 counties.

Major periods in the development of Oregon’s ESDs:

1849-1871: Originations and foundation established

1872-1944: The County Unit as regulatory arm of the state

1945-1962: Rural School Districts and equalization

1963-1976: Intermediate Education Districts and Advent of Services

1977-Present: Education Service Districts

1994: Passage of SB 26, the ESD Reorganization Act

1997: Passage of Ballot Measure 47 and 50 converted ESD tax bases to “rates”

1998-Present: The era of funding regional services on an equity-based formula

2005: Passage of HB 3184 implementing ESD funding and governance reforms

1945: The Legislature created the county “rural school district”. In the early 1960’s, rural school districts began to provide special education services for disabled children. The Legislature studied the role of the county school superintendent’s office and its potential for the future. In 1963, it replaced the “rural school district” title with “Intermediate Education District” (IED).

1977: The Legislature changed the name of the intermediate education district to "education service district”. This change reflected the growing recognition that the county office had become a major service center for local districts. Also, the passage of the Public Law

94-142, the federal legislation guaranteeing to all students with handicaps the right to a free and appropriate education, made the ESD's role as a provider of special education services even more important and necessary, as did the State's increased interest in early intervention and early childhood education programs, the same of which was occurring on a national basis.

1991: The Legislature authorized a task force to study regional services on a statewide basis. The 1993 Legislature passed SB 26, the ESD Reorganization Act, which required the merger of 29 ESDs down to 21, including the annexation of six county units (Crook, Klamath, Lincoln, Morrow, Hood River, and Josephine) into one of the remaining 21 ESDs, i.e., Linn-Benton ESD annexed Lincoln County School District and became a three-county unit named Linn-Benton-Lincoln ESD; and Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, and Washington ESDs began the merger process to become the Northwest Regional ESD. In 2003 Yamhill ESD voluntarily merged with Willamette ESD to further reduce the number of ESDs in the state to 20.

1996: Clatsop, Columbia, Tillamook, and Washington ESDs officially consolidated to become the Northwest Regional ESD. The consolidation resulted in the formation of one of the largest and most diverse education service districts in the state. Two of Oregon's largest school districts—Beaverton and Hillsboro—reside in the urban parts of Washington County while many smaller, more rural districts reside along the Columbia River, Coast Range Mountains, and Pacific Ocean. This diversity in culture, size, landscape, and geography creates an area where supplemental services provided by NWRESD are in great demand by schools large and small.

2000: The Legislature completed an interim task force study of ESDs. As a result of that study, the Legislature passed two major pieces of legislation: SB 259 and SB 260. Senate Bill 259 reestablished the primary mission of ESDs: "The mission of Education Service Districts is to assist school districts and the Department of Education in achieving Oregon's educational goals by providing equitable, high quality, cost-effective and locally responsive educational services at a regional level."

    SB 259 also establishes that ESDs exist to help:

• Ensure an equitable and excellent education for all children in the state.
• Implement the Oregon Educational Act for the 21st Century.
• Foster the attainment of high standards of performance by all students in Oregon's public schools.
• Facilitate inter-organizational coordination and cooperation among educational, social service, health care, and employment training agencies.
  

    Senate Bill 260 addressed two major issues regarding ESD funding:

• Through a progressive five-year process, funding was equalized across Oregon ESDs in fiscal year 2005-2006.
• ESD funding became connected to local district funding in that a small portion of the State School Fund allocation to a region is distributed to the ESD with the remainder distributed to local districts in accordance with the state funding formula. In fiscal year 2001-2002, 4.888% of the region's State School Fund allocation was used to fund the ESD. That percentage increased gradually over the next four years, such that in the fiscal year 2004-2005, 5.097% of the regional State School Fund allocation was used to fund ESDs.

2005: The Legislature passed House Bill 3184 which implemented reforms to both ESD funding and governance.

Beginning with the 2006-2007 school year, the K-12 state budget formula changed: School districts now receive 95.25% of the region's State School Fund allocation and ESDs receive 4.75%.

High Desert ESD, Willamette ESD, and Northwest Regional ESD were selected to pilot the governance reform portion of the new law.

• The terms of 2005-06 Board members expired on June 30, 2006.
• For the purpose of modifying the governance of the ESD’s involved in the pilot project, their regions were divided up into zones of approximately equal population, without crossing district boundaries. From each of the zones, each school district board within the zone had one vote to cast to determine representation on the ESD board. That process produced five ESD board members who took office July 1, 2006. They in turn appointed one board member from each of the following regional groups: higher education, social services, the business community, and one at-large member who took office on August 8, 2006. The terms of all nine Board members will expire on June 30, 2010.
• Each ESD, with their component school districts, must annually develop a Local Service Plan with services included from at least the following categories: special education, technology, school improvement, and administration. The Plan must also include any "entrepreneurial services" that the ESD intends to offer to any entity either outside of the ESD boundary or inside the ESD boundary but not a component school district.
  

There was no change in the way the Local Service Plan is approved: Annually, 90% of the State School Fund revenue received by an ESD is subject to the resolution process. Under the process, at least two-thirds of the school districts in an ESD, representing more than one-half of the student population, must approve the Local Service Plan.

Guiding Principles

Our Customers

• Will be treated with respect, dignity, and professionalism.
• Will have fair and equal access to NWRESD programs and services.
• Will have ample opportunity for input regarding programs and services provided by the NWRESD, as well as evaluative responses regarding their quality.
  Our Services
• Will be aligned to the needs and priorities of our component districts and the Oregon Department of Education.
• Will represent quality, innovative and cost- effective options
• Will maximize fiscal and human resources consistent with the district's mission and guiding principles.

Our Staff

• Represent efforts to hire the most talented people, who are excited about working at NWRESD.
• Actively participate in continuous self and program improvement opportunities.
• Work in settings that communicate staff value and expectations of high performance.

 

Board of Directors
Board policy: BBB | BBB-AR(1) | BBAA | BBE

The Legislature of the State of Oregon delegates responsibility for the conduct and governance of school districts and ESDs to local Boards. NWRESD is governed by a nine-member board consisting of five elected directors and four appointed directors; each representing a specific geographic zone in the region. Together, these volunteer community members work closely with the ESD’s superintendent to determine district policies and ensure the highest quality programs and services are being delivered to schools in the region.

	Zone 1: Gaston, Sherwood and Tigard-Tualatin school districts Gail Young is a former member of both the Washington ESD Board and the Washington Service Center Advisory Committee. Prior to serving on the Washington ESD Board, she served on the Douglas County ESD Board. Gail is self-employed as a Vocational Consultant. Phone number: 503-692-4259.
	Zone 2: Astoria, Banks, Forest Grove, Jewell, Knappa, Neah-Kah-Nie, Nestucca Valley, Seaside, Tillamook and Warrenton-Hammond school districts Kathleen Samsel retired from education in 2000 after teaching in the Hillsboro and Lake Oswego school districts. Her 32-year career included elementary principalships in McMinnville and Seaside. Kathy served on Clatsop Commission for Children, and she was on the board of the Salvation Army in Clatsop County. She is currently active in Community Tsunami Awareness Group (T.A.G.), and the Seaside Library Art Committee.
	Zone 3: Hillsboro School District Larry Spier retired from education in 2002 with over 33 years of service. He spent the last 28 years as a special education teacher and school administrator with the Beaverton School District. He served on the former Washington County ESD, and is currently serving his third year as a member of the Board of Directors for St. Mary’s Home for Boys. Larry is self-employed as a behavioral consultant to school districts. Phone number: 503-642-2303.
	Zone 4: Beaverton (Beaverton and Sunset high school attendance areas), Clatskanie, Rainier, Scappoose, St. Helens and Vernonia school districts) Earl Fisher spent the last three years of his career as the administrator of Northwest Regional ESD’s Clatsop Service Center in Astoria, retiring in 2003 with 34 years in education. Earl currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Columbia County Commission on Children and Families, the Clatskanie Fire Dept., the St. John Hospital Foundation and the Clatskanie Kiwanis. Phone number: 503-728-2450.
	Zone 5: Beaverton School District (Aloha, Southridge and Westview high school attendance areas) Michael Ingalls has resided in Washington County since 1994. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics from Santa Clara University. Active member in his community serving four years as a leader in Cub Scouts, volunteering in his children's elementary school. He also coaches multiple sports programs for children. Phone number: 503-504-9885.
	At-Large position Marilyn McGlasson retired in 2005 with seven years as Superintendent of the Banks School District in Washington County. McGlasson was a former member of the Washington ESD Board, Washington Service Center Advisory Committee, and superintendent of the former Farmington View School District. Director McGlasson currently sits on the Portland Community College Board of Directors. Phone number: 503-648-7312.
	Business position Chair Ann Samuelson is President of Astoria Mechanical and Trailblazer Construction. She also serves as a Clatsop County Commissioner for District Five and is a member of the Jewell School Board. Ann has served on the Meth Prevention Team, Diversity Action Committee, and was a citizen lobbyist/author of SB304 (Asbestos-related issues) in a recent legislative session. Phone number: 503-755-2540
	Higher Education position Jon Carnahan is currently President of Tillamook Bay Community College. Phone number: 503-842-8222
	Social Service position Renée Bruce is the Director of Family & Community Resources at Community Action in Washington County . She has over twenty years of experience managing social support programs and has been working at Community Action for the past 18 years. Community Action is part of the largest poverty-fighting network in the nation and assists more than 17,000 families each year with a wide array of services to support them in reaching their full potential. Renée has two grown children who attended Beaverton Schools. She also serves on the following boards; C.A.S.H. – Creating Assets Savings & Hope, Essential Health Clinic, Washington County Housing Advisory Board and chairs the Washington County Childhood Care and Education Advisory Committee. She graduated from Michigan State University with a BS in Child Development & Teaching. Phone number: (503) 693-2360

 

Board Meetings and Communications
Board policy: BDD | BDDA | BDDG | BDDH | BE

Board Calendar

Regular Board meetings are generally held on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings begin at 6 p.m. unless noted. All regular and special meetings of the Board are open to the public unless otherwise provided by law. For a complete list of dates, times, and meeting locations, please see the Board calendar on the district website.

All staff members are invited to attend Board meetings. All formal communications or reports to the Board are to be submitted through building supervisors and administrators to the superintendent in accordance with established lines of authority, as approved by the Board. This does not restrict protected labor relations communication of bargaining unit members.

All official Board communications, policies, and information of staff interest can be found on the NWRESD website: www.nwresd.k12.or.us.

 

Local Area Service Plan

Services provided by NWRESD shall be provided according to the local service plan developed by NWRESD and component school districts. The Local Service Plan must be passed by two-thirds of the districts representing more than fifty percent of the student population. The Plan must contain, and every ESD must provide, the following services:

• Programs for children with special needs, including but not limited to special education services, services for at-risk students and professional development for employees who provide those services.
• Technology support for component school districts and the individual technology plans of those districts, including but not limited to technology infrastructure services, data services, instructional technology services, distance learning, and professional development for employees who provide those services.
• School improvement services for component school districts, including but not limited to services designed to support component school districts in meeting the requirements of state and federal law, services designed to allow the education service district to participate in and facilitate a review of the state and federal standards related to the provision of a quality education by component school districts, services designed to support and facilitate continuous school improvement planning, services designed to address school wide behavior and climate issues and professional technical education and professional development for employees who provide those services.
• Administrative and support services for component school districts, including but not limited to services designed to consolidate component school district business functions, liaison services between the Department of Education and component school districts and registration of children being taught by private teachers, parents or legal guardians pursuant to ORS 339.035.
• Other services that an education service district is required to provide by state or federal law, including but not limited to services required under ORS 339.005 to 339.090.

Mission
Board Policy: AE

The Northwest Regional Education Service District is committed to providing equitable support to our school districts in their mission to educate all students.

 

Service Center Hours and Locations

      

Columbia Service Center  800 Port AVE St. Helens, OR 97051 (503) 366-4100	Hours: 8:00 a.m. -- 4:30 p.m.
Clatsop Service Center  3194 Marine DR Astoria, OR 97103 (503) 325-2862	Hours: 8:00 a.m. -- 4:30 p.m.
Regional Office  5825 NE Ray Circle Hillsboro, OR 97124 (503) 614-1428	Hours: 7:30 a.m. -- 4:30 p.m.
Tillamook Service Center  2513 3rd ST Tillamook, OR 97141 (503) 842-8423	Hours: 8:00 a.m. -- 4:30 p.m.

 

Any employee who needs access to a building before or after normal building hours must use his/her her electronic access fob to gain entry, or if not assigned a fob, make special arrangements with his or her program director.