Special Education Cooperative
Meeting Special Needs
The ESD 112 Special Education Cooperative provides special education services to children with disabilities in 21 member school districts. The Co-op is unique in Washington State, providing all special education services that include planning, delivering, monitoring, evaluating, and supervising specially designed programs to meet the needs of children identified with disabilities. The Co-op hires highly qualified professionals and supervises all special education staff including teachers, paraeducators, coordinators, Occupational Therapists, Physical Therapists, Speech Language Pathologists, and School Psychologists, as well as budgeting and expending resources for school districts participating as Co-op members. The Co-op operates programs that are consistent with school district and building goals and provides focused knowledge and expertise in research-based, best practices in special education.
Cooperative services include:
- Designing a program consistent with building and/or district goals
- Hiring and supervising special education staff
- Identifying eligible students
- Budgeting and expending resources for schools in participating districts
The cooperative began furnishing itinerant services in 1972. With the addition of classroom services in 1984, ESD 112 became a serving district for participating resident districts in Southwest Washington and extending the cooperative's benefits to include:
- More flexible, effective and efficient use of staff and other resources
- All member districts, regardless of size or rural location, have equal access to all services
- It's a guarantee - all children receive services
- No single member takes the full cost of an expensive placement since all costs are shared
- Members receive administrative service without the addition of extra duties to a principal or hiring a special education administrator
- Legal and technical expertise available to members at any time
The cooperative is governed by an elected chair and representative five-member executive advisory committee comprised of participating districts' superintendents. Although districts agree to pool their fiscal resources and share in staff, materials and resources, all members receive services based on needs, not a pro rata portion of their contributions.
The cooperative strives to ensure appropriate special education for all children with disabilities in all member districts. A continuum of services gives parents in our rural schools a full range of options from home services to out-of-district placements, if and when needed.