Ionia County Intermediate School District announces MAISD/ICISD GENERAL EDUCATION CONSORTIUM
As a result of board action on Thursday, November 8, 2007, the Montcalm Area ISD and the Ionia County ISD Boards of Education agreed to pursue a General Education Consortium for the delivery of General Education services. This initial agreement will last one and a half years and will be subject to renewal at the respective board meetings in June 2009. The primary purpose of the General Education Consortium is to increase the capacity to deliver quality, relevant, cost-effective, and timely assistance to the local districts of ICISD and MAISD. This will be accomplished by combining both ISDs’ General Ed staffs into an Instructional Services Team that will facilitate the determination of the local district needs by employing a process entitled Local Service Planning (LSP). The LSP involves each local district and the Instructional Service Team completing a survey focused on determining each local district’s needs. After the survey is completed and the results are compiled, meetings are scheduled with each district to review survey results. Common goal areas (3-5) are developed consortium wide. Local districts will receive explanations of opportunities and the Instructional Services Team will gather feedback from local districts regarding direction. The Instructional Service Team, in concert with a joint curriculum council and building leadership, will coordinate the delivery of professional development to both counties. Instructional Services Team staff would be shared across both counties and an equitable method of resource sharing will be developed. A method of review will be developed to evaluate the General Education Consortium effectiveness. This tool (rubric) will be developed by April 2008. Currently planned services and professional development will occur as scheduled unless otherwise agreed upon. The timeline for implementation is as follows: Select candidates to interview ………………… December 14th Interview Director of Instruction candidates….. December 17-21st Director of Instruction begins employment…… After January 2nd

Ionia County Intermediate School District

announces

MAISD/ICISD GENERAL EDUCATION CONSORTIUM

          As a result of board action on Thursday, November 8, 2007, the Montcalm Area ISD and the Ionia County ISD Boards of Education agreed to pursue a General Education Consortium for the delivery of General Education services. This initial agreement will last one and a half years and will be subject to renewal at the respective board meetings in June 2009.
          The primary purpose of the General Education Consortium is to increase the capacity to deliver quality, relevant, cost-effective, and timely assistance to the local districts of ICISD and MAISD. This will be accomplished by combining both ISDs’ General Ed staffs into an Instructional Services Team that will facilitate the determination of the local district needs by employing a process entitled Local Service Planning (LSP). The LSP involves each local district and the Instructional Service Team completing a survey focused on determining each local district’s needs. After the survey is completed and the results are compiled, meetings are scheduled with each district to review survey results. Common goal areas (3-5) are developed consortium wide. Local districts will receive explanations of opportunities and the Instructional Services Team will gather feedback from local districts regarding direction. The Instructional Service Team, in concert with a joint curriculum council and building leadership, will coordinate the delivery of professional development to both counties. Instructional Services Team staff would be shared across both counties and an equitable method of resource sharing will be developed.
          A method of review will be developed to evaluate the General Education Consortium effectiveness. This tool (rubric) will be developed by April 2008.
          Currently planned services and professional development will occur as scheduled unless otherwise agreed upon.

The timeline for implementation is as follows:
          Select candidates to interview ………………… December 14th
          Interview Director of Instruction candidates…..   December 17-21st
          Director of Instruction begins employment……   After January 2nd