Washington school districts are served by five regional transportation coordinators in the state, and those coordinators work from five of the nine Educational Service Districts. They are assigned regions, serving all 295 school districts in the state and assist from tribal schools, charter schools and ESD's providing transportation services.
The Regional Coordinator program is funded by the legislature through a grant from the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI). This grant allows regional coordinators to provide services to districts at no cost to the district. Among their many duties, the coordinators serve as liaisons between OSPI and other state agencies and school districts, and manage several statewide programs such as bus driver training, school bus inspection, and others. Coordinators are also well known for being the resource on the other end of the phone (or e-mail) who can help with issues a district may face related to student transportation.
Region 4 serves districts in ESD 105, ESD 123, and ESD 171 from an office at ESD 105 in Yakima. The regional coordinator in Region 4, Dan Payne, provides assistance, training, and support to 76 school districts in an area that covers nearly all of the central part of our state. Monthly meetings with transportation supervisors and other district staff are scheduled in each of the three ESD's in Region 4. Dan attends those meetings and provides information from OSPI, and other industry information both state and national regulatory agencies and organizations.
Have Questions?
Dan Payne
Regional Transportation Coordinator
[email protected]
Cell: 509.895.9568
School: 509.454.3105