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Board approves SOESD local service plan; regional superintendent announces retirement
Summary
Phoenix‑Talent SD 4 trustees approved the Southern Oregon ESD local service plan after a presentation from SOESD superintendent Scott Beverage, who also noted his intention to retire at the end of the school year.
The Phoenix-Talent SD 4 school board voted to approve the SOESD local service plan for 2025–26 after a presentation by SOESD Superintendent Scott Beverage and a discussion about shared services and support for smaller districts.
Beverage described the plan as largely unchanged from the previous year but stressed that allowing districts choice in which services to use increased participation statewide after the plan was updated in 2017–18. He said that, under the current model, districts agreed to a minimum threshold — described in the presentation as 30% — of district allocation available for ESD services and that this approach had encouraged more districts to take advantage of ESD offerings. Phoenix‑Talent’s participation level was cited in the presentation as roughly 55% of its allocation being used for services and technical assistance.
Board members asked whether the ESD could expand shared staffing models (for example, shared courseloads or part‑time specialty teachers) and whether the ESD provides technical assistance for complex reporting. Beverage and SOESD staff said the ESD already provides shared services for positions such as psychologists and library services and that the ESD has technical assistance capacity targeted to smaller districts for state and federal reporting obligations.
Board members also discussed the ESD’s funding allocation method. Beverage explained the service allocation is distributed based on prior year ADMr (average daily membership — regional measure used by the ESD) and that by statute 90% of local service plan money flows back to districts as either services or cash. He said the allocation methodology could be changed only by member districts through the statutory local service plan process.
Trustees approved the plan by voice vote; the motion passed and board members thanked Beverage for his presentation. During the meeting the board noted Scott Beverage’s upcoming retirement after more than 30 years in education and about a decade as an ESD superintendent; trustees offered public appreciation for his service.
