Q. Were CESAs unique to Wisconsin?
A. As in Wisconsin, the origin of regional educational organizations elsewhere dates back to county superintendents, first used in Delaware in 1829. By 1879, 34 of the then38 states had county superintendents. During the 1960s and 1970s, the roles of regional educational agencies began to change. In 1977, 82 agencies from 18 states joined to form a national organization of educational service agencies (ESAs). Federal law first recognized them in 1994. By 2001, there were over 530 ESAs in 37 states.

Q. What is the purpose of CESAs here?
A. Section 116.01, Wisconsin Statutes, reads: “The cooperative educational service agencies are designed to serve educational needs in all areas of Wisconsin by serving as a link both between school districts and between school districts and the state. Cooperative educational service agencies may provide leadership, coordination and education services to school districts, University of Wisconsin System institutions and technical colleges. Cooperative educational service agencies may facilitate communication and cooperation among all public and private schools, agencies and organizations that provide services to pupils.”

Q. How are CESAs governed?
A. A CESA is not a state agency, but t is considered a government subdivision. It can enter into contracts, and sue and be sued. However, as well be seen, it cannot tax. Each CESA is governed by an 11 member board of control of elected by delegate assembly at the CESA annual convention. Delegates adopt bylaws governing the operation of the CESA. The delegate assembly consists of one school board member from each of the school districts in the CESA region, with special provisions made from areas served by union high/K-8 districts.

Q. What does that board of control do?
A. The board must hold on annual organization meeting between the second Monday in May and the second Monday in August. The board sets agency policy and receives state aid for agency operation. It determines and assesses each participating unit’s prorated share of cooperative program costs. No costs may be changed to a unit unless it enters into a service contract.
The board of control is also responsible for authorizing expenditures to operate the CESA, including those for personal, space and equipment. Each year, It must conduct an inventory. Every three years, the board must provide to each member school board an accountability plan that addresses the efficiency and effectiveness of CESA programs.

Q. Who chooses and supervises the CESA administrator?
A. The board of control appoints the administrator, and must, within 15 days of the beginning of a contract, require the appointee to file a bond with the board. The board sets the salary of the administrator and other employees. In addition, a committee of district administrators of each member school district advises the CESA administrator regarding services needed by local districts.

Q. Are CESAs government units or businesses?
A. CESAs are public entities but run much like private businesses. They listen to their customers-schools, colleges, even local governments. They develop services that meet their customers’ needs, for example, cooperative purchasing or sharing of only the services they want. If CESAs were to fail to meet the needs of the school districts and other bodies that buy their services, they could not continue to operate.

Q. How, then are CESAs funded?
A. Unlike schools and other local governments, CESAs have no taxing authority. And, unlike these other public entities, they receive virtually no direct money from the state- other then $25,000 in annual “seed money,” which is matched by member school districts. Instead, they rely principally on the fees they receive from contracts and from any grants they are awarded.
The largest source of revenue for CESAs is various payments from local sources. A variety of federal grants were the second largest source of revenue and almost two-thirds of that came from federal grants paid through the state Department of Public Instruction. State monies are the 3rd largest source of all revenues of which special education aids were almost half that amount. The remaining revenue came from payments between CESAs or from counties.

Q. Where do CESAs spend the money they receive each year in fees, grants and aids?
A. The average expenditures of CESAs in the state indicate that approximately 58% was for various kinds of support services. Another 37% was attributable to instructional services. Combined, the other expenditure categories accounted for fewer than 5% of the total: noninstructional services; facilities acquisition and construction; and debt service. Expenditures vary considerably from CESA.

Q. Are CESAs similar in the number of students and school districts they serve?
A. Because the 12 CESAs cover unique regions of the state, the districts and students they serve tend to be quite different. CESA 2, in south central Wisconsin, serves the most school districts (75), while CESA 12, in the far north, serves the least (17). CESA 1, which includes Milwaukee, has the most students and equalized property value. CESA 12 has the fewest students, while CESA 3, in the southwest, has the least equalized property value. Finally, full-time equivalent staff counts rank from 260 in (CESA 11) to 45 in (CESA 9).