1. Outsourcing Special Education Services
- Author
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McKenzie, Anne S. and Bishop, Anna M.
- Abstract
The Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative, organized in 1974, consists of seven school districts legally bound in a governance structure. Although the member districts are located in Hampden County, Massachusetts, the collaborative provides educational programs and services to school districts and municipalities throughout western Massachusetts. The educational service agency in western Massachusetts outsources a number of services. The agency purchases food services from a local school district, and it outsources custodial services for its career and technical education center and central office. Outsourcing reduces fringe-benefit expenses and other post-employment benefit liabilities, or OPEB. When the authors and their colleagues initially explored the concept of outsourcing, they recognized the need for a methodical and thoughtful approach. They weighed instructional impact against the potential cost savings from outsourcing. They asked questions about the proximity of a service to a student's learning experience. They analyzed the effect outsourcing a particular service would have on teaching and learning. In a two-year period, the Lower Pioneer Valley Educational Collaborative has realized a cost savings of $208,300 in the operating budget.
- Published
- 2009