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Douglas ESD superintendent outlines Local Service Plan, staffing and programs supporting Roseburg schools
Summary
Douglas ESD superintendent Annalicia Nicholson reviewed the ESD's Local Service Plan, its statutory requirements (90% general fund on LSP services), special-education emphasis, regional programs such as Complex Needs and Horizons, grant-backed community schools programming, and staffing updates including speech-language services split between in-person and virtual delivery.
Annalicia Nicholson, superintendent of Douglas Education Service District, told the Roseburg Public Schools board that the ESD’s Local Service Plan (LSP) is a statutory requirement that organizes regional services for 13 component districts and emphasizes special education, school improvement, technology and administrative support.
Nicholson said the LSP requires ESDs to spend at least 90% of their general fund dollars on the plan and described how the ESD staffs and operates shared programs that deliver cost-effective services across the county. She highlighted Complex Needs (a program at Firgrove Elementary), the Horizons trauma-informed instructional partnership, and a community schools grant funded through the Ford Family Foundation with Douglas ESD as backbone agency.
On staffing, Nicholson told the board Douglas ESD is "fully staffed," a meaningful accomplishment given nationwide shortages among speech-language pathologists. She said speech services are currently delivered about 50% in person and 50% virtually, and the ESD continues to recruit to increase in-person coverage where possible.
Why it matters: The Local Service Plan represents the regional infrastructure that allows smaller districts to access specialized staff and programs without maintaining full-time in-house units. Nicholson noted that services “follow students” and the ESD flexes staff and resources to meet changing enrollment and student needs.
Next steps and questions: Nicholson invited questions and noted the LSP report in the board packet contains program specifics and that staffing allocations can change quickly based on student need. A board member asked about progress on hiring and specifically in-person speech pathology; Nicholson confirmed the mixed delivery model and ongoing recruitment efforts.
Provenance: The overview was presented to the board during the joint meeting and appears in the meeting packet; Nicholson’s remarks begin at SEG 1906 in the transcript.
