Washington Association of ESDs 40^th Anniversary
State Reception Room
February 24, 2009
Welcome and Congratulatory Remarks
(As written)

Listen to the speech as delivered (mp3 file)

Greetings and congratulations to the Educational Service Districts on your 40^th anniversary.

It is fitting that we are in Olympia to celebrate the anniversary of the Educational Service Districts.  Legislation signed into law 40 years ago here merged 39 county offices of education into what are now nine regional educational service districts. This legislation strengthened the state’s ability to provide effective, comprehensive and economical education programs for all children.

Since the bill authorizing Educational Service Districts was signed into law 40 years ago, ESDs have continued to grow and evolve in scope and breadth of services to address the unique needs and requests of their local schools and communities.

ESDs are charged with creating equal educational opportunities for children in Washington, and they do so through creating and delivering specialized programs and services, as well as regional and statewide initiatives to meet the needs of the children in their regions.

Of great importance today, ESDs play a vital role in helping school districts pool their dollars and leverage resources, especially during tough economic times.

The past four decades have brought substantial growth in the ESDs’ ability to help equalize educational opportunities and stretch education dollars for the state’s 295 school districts.

You have achieved great buying power through your extensive purchasing cooperatives and insurance pools. You have initiated some great statewide programs in important areas like early learning cooperatives, special education and, one of my favorites, programs to support healthy students, such as violence and substance abuse prevention services and alternative education.

For instance, in 2007-09, ESDs leveraged the state allocation they received from the legislature - a total of $5.5 million for all nine ESDs together – into $216 million in programs and services to Washington's students. This is a return of $39 on every $1!
 
They did this through securing new funding through grants and partnerships, offering significant savings to schools and educators through economies of scale, and creating specialized for-purchase services of a higher quality and lower cost than schools can create themselves.

The nine ESDs collaborate on statewide services across their regions that save time and money for all schools, rather than re-invent the wheel if each district were to act on its own.  

One example of this is the Washington Learning Source, which is an online store for purchasing discounted educational products such as software, online learning classes, and other supports. The ESDs negotiate lower pricing for such products from vendors and offer them to schools and educators at discounted prices.

Another example is coordination of math and science professional development across the state through a network of math and science coordinators, sharing research, evaluation, professional development costs, etc.

Other large examples are the self insurance pools and trusts that the ESDs operate in the areas of workers compensation and risk management. They provide superior safety and risk prevention services along with solid claims management and a school district run, not-for-profit organizational structure.

I am sure there are many, many more examples that can be cited. Those are just a few.

I am sure you know you do all of the above things, but I wanted you to understand that some of us here know it too.  Particularly now when we are asking everyone to be more efficient, to consolidate.  ESDs are a shining example of a concept that actually is doing just as it was meant to do, just as it was envisioned.

Today, Washington’s ESDs are recognized as one of the strongest statewide educational support networks in the country.  I understand you have a great reputation nationally among similar agencies.

I know ESDs often work quietly behind the scenes, doing your jobs for public education and doing it very well. Today is the day that we want to recognize all of the great things that you do. You are making an incredible difference in the quality and improvement of education for Washington state.

So Happy 40^th Anniversary to the ESDs!

I know the governor regrets that she could not join you today, but I would now like read the proclamation she signed in honor of contributions made by the ESDs: