School Accreditation

ESD 123 and the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD) sponsor an accreditation process. In 2005, the Washington State Legislature shifted the responsibility for school accreditation away from the State Board of Education. In April 2006, the AESD Executive Board established an accreditation program that authorizes the AESD Executive Committee to accredit schools on its behalf using the previously-approved accreditation process.

When a school has a comprehensive School Improvement Plan (SIP) in place, it is appropriate to apply for accreditation through the ESD program. The accreditation process requires schools to conduct an in-depth self-evaluation of the SIP, and a companion evaluation of the school improvement planning process used to develop the plan.

The ESD Accreditation Process is a collaborative and reflective method that combines both internal and external appraisal of the school improvement planning activities and of the SIP itself.

ESD 123 can assist a school through the accreditation process as authorized by the Association of Educational Service Districts (AESD). The intent of accreditation is to provide an external review and validation of the school improvement plan and the process that led to its development. Accreditation status is granted for a period of six years if approved by the AESD Accreditation Committee.

 Literacy & Language Development

ESD 123 is proud of the specialized support that can be provided in the areas of literacy and language development. Districts and schools that are developing plans and programs to better meet the needs of English Language Learners can contact the ESD for customized support.

Services are customized to meet the unique needs of the district and assist educators in expanding their knowledge of English language development, literacy and learning strategies to support students in achieving high levels of understanding in content areas. Our literacy program strives for reading, writing, and oral fluency of kindergarten to 12th grade students.

By building relationships with the districts and their federal project directors, we are able to recommend research-based programs and professional development that directly meet a district's needs based on local data.

Please contact the Teaching & Learning Department at 509.544.5750 to learn more.

 LASER - Science

ESD 123 has teamed with Washington State Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) to assist school districts with implementing ongoing, inquiry-based science programs that are based on a research-based model of systemic reform and aligned with the Washington State Science Grade Level Expectations.

The LASER science program combines private sector, state and national resources to bring innovative hands-on learning curriculum to our region's schools. The region’s LASER network also provides support for materials selection, professional development and technical assistance.

For more information on LASER, please visit www.wastatelaser.org.

If you are interested in becoming involved with the LASER program, please contact the Teaching & Learning Department at 509.544.5750.

 Grant Management Support

 Grant Writing

ESD 123 can provide grant writing services for districts and schools. These services range from providing general information on the availability of grant funding for special projects to completing the entire grant application for a school or district.

ESD 123 provides customized support and networking for districts and schools in managing state and federal grants. Services include writing, implementing, monitoring and managing grants.

Please contact the Teaching & Learning department at 509.544.5750 to learn more.