Regional Educational Service Agencies. ERS Monograph Series, No. 29

This report emphasizes the major organizational and program patterns of the regional education service agencies (RESAs) operating in Georgia, Iowa, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Texas, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Colorado, Michigan, New York, and Oregon. The State laws governing RESA units and the units' organizational patterns and their programs are described. The problems and issues of existing RESA units are analyzed, and strategies for overcoming the problems are discussed. Empirical research and personal judgments conclude that RESAs can provide local districts with supplemental and support services and can facilitate the development of required programs and services. RESAs can contribute to the equalization of educational opportunities; the interface between urban, suburban, and rural interests; the application of cost benefit/cost effective principles; the development of statewide research and evaluation; and the development of educational change. Through RESAs, local school districts can become involved in statewide and regional planning and decisionmaking. An illustrative inventory of existing RESA programs is appended. (Author/DW)