Board approves CESA 1 contract after questions about public access to CESA budget

The Pewaukee School District board voted to approve a CESA 1 contract for the 2025–26 school year after a discussion about services, cost and public oversight. A CESA representative described the organization’s regional services and said contracting with CESAs can save districts money by providing shared professional development and specialized programming.

Board members pressed for greater budget transparency from CESA 1. One member said they had tried to locate the CESA budget and had not found it online; the member asked who the public should contact to obtain the ledger. Tony, the CESA representative, said each CESA has an independent board and an executive director and named Sue Doyle as CESA 1’s executive director, adding that he would provide contact information. “They have a board that oversees their entire operation,” Tony said, describing CESA 1’s governance and the services it provides to multiple districts.

District staff confirmed the contract total as $74,006.23 and said the costs are itemized in the contract memo. Tony told the board the contract’s line items are described in a services catalog and that some services are charged per seat or subcategory. He also noted the practical benefits for Pewaukee in having CESA 1 nearby, including transportation advantages and partnerships with local technical colleges.

A motion to approve the contract was made and seconded, and the board voted to approve the agreement as presented. Board members asked staff to send the CESA executive director’s contact information so that members of the public and board could obtain budget material directly from CESA 1.

The board’s approval completes the district’s review of the previously tabled contract; staff said CESA had updated the agreement to reflect the services the district requested.