Educational Service District 112

Serving children, schools, and their communities

ESD 112 serves the changing and unique needs of educational communities throughout Southwest Washington. More than 300 innovative programs and services have evolved over the past 40 years to serve more than 100,000 students in 200 schools and communities.

More than 600 ESD 112 professionals are positioned in 30 public school districts and 23 private schools throughout six counties including Clark, Skamania, Cowlitz, Wahkiakum, Klickitat and Pacific. We also serve the Washington State School for the Blind and the Washington School for the Deaf, and other educational entities and community organizations.

Oral Histories from ESD 112

Bigger schools, bigger costs

State Senator Al Bauer (1980-2000) discusses how school district consolidations lead to an increase in failed levies.

Doran decision

State Senator Al Bauer (1980-2000) discusses how the Doran decision changed state-wide education funding.

Hard times hardest on small districts

ESD 112 board member Ann Campbell appreciates how much larger school district in her region help out the smaller ones with cooperative ventures.

School districts band together

ESD 112 board member Bill Bauman talks about how budget challenges make school districts work together to solve problems.

ESDs – we created it

Bill Fromhold, former ESD 112 Chief Fiscal Officer then ESD 112 Superintendent, discusses how ISDs had to identify needs in the early years.

Direct Services

Bill Fromhold, former ESD 112 Chief Fiscal Officer then ESD 112 Superintendent, discusses how instrumental direct services were to the ESDs.

We were on our own

Bill Fromhold, former ESD 112 Chief Fiscal Officer then ESD 112 Superintendent, remembers the budget cuts of the 1980s and how ESDs had to redefine themselves.

No half measures

ESD 112 board members Bill Bauman, De Stickel and Ken Botero discuss the full on efforts of the staff.

How much we have grown

ESD 112 board members Marilyn Koenninger, Richard Graham and Ann Campbell discuss how much ESD 112 has changed over the years.

Devil is in the details

Frank “Buster” Broullett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, (1973-1989) remembers how areas were divided up regionally for the ISDs.

Direct Services

Frank “Buster” Broullett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, (1973-1989) remembers the importance of legislation enactment that led the way for ESDs providing direct services.

Hard fought battle

Buster Frank “Buster” Broullett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, (1973-1989) remembers how difficult it was pass direct appropriation to ESDs.

Naming names

Frank “Buster” Broullett, State Superintendent of Public Instruction, (1973-1989) names some key players of early ISD formation around the state.

Positive side of budget cuts

ESD 112 board member Darlene “De” Stickel believe challenges drive innovation.

School bus cooperatives

ESD 112 board member Dick Graham describes the need for school bus cooperatives in his region.

Give staff the tools.

ESD 112 board member Ken Botero appreciates a creative staff.

Economy of service

Leo Blodgett, ESD 112’s first superintendent, talks why the formation of ISDs looked so promising.

Finance and space

Leo Blodgett, ESD 112’s first superintendent, remembers the first things ISDs had to do and how the first office was the old Isolation Hospital in Vancouver.

Brick and mortar

ESD 112 board member Marilyn Koenninger describes ESD 112’s innovative construction management program and its early state resistance.

ISDs would mean equal opportunities

Roy Garrison, a former Ridgefield School District board member, (1963-1976) and ESD 112 board member, (1979-2002) remembers how ISDs were first introduced to his school district.

Biggest impact

Roy Garrison, a former Ridgefield School District board member, (1963-1976) and ESD 112 board member, (1979-2002) believes it was Special Education programs that were the most needed.

We got a better shake

Roy Garrison, a former Ridgefield School District board member, (1963-1976) and ESD 112 board member, (1979-2002) discusses how small district really benefited from ESDs.

The godfather of ISDs

Roy Garrison, a former Ridgefield School District board member, (1963-1976) and ESD 112 board member, (1979-2002) thinks Leo Blodgett, ESD 112’s first superintendent, was instrumental in the early formation of ISDs.

Early Resistance

Ted Kolbaba, Klickitat County Board of Education, 1966-1969, then ESD 112 Board of Directors, 1970-1975 and Marian Kolbaba, ESD 112 Board of Directors, 1975-1995, remember early resistance to the idea of a consolidation of educational services.

We were going to be swallowed up

Ted Kolbaba, Klickitat County Board of Education, 1966-1969, then ESD 112 Board of Directors, 1970-1975 and Marian Kolbaba, ESD 112 Board of Directors, 1975-1995, remember how the small districts feared losing their autonomy to Clark County.

SWCCC is born

Ted Kolbaba, Klickitat County Board of Education, 1966-1969, then ESD 112 Board of Directors, 1970-1975 and Marian Kolbaba, ESD 112 Board of Directors, 1975-1995, remember the inception and implementation of the Southwest Washington Child Care Consortium.

What I’m Most Proud of...

Twyla Barnes, Superintendent of ESD 112, describes the agency's biggest accomplishments.

Construction Services

Twyla Barnes, Superintendent of ESD 112, explains the agency’s entrepreneurial efforts in programs such as Construction Services, Child Care and Special Services.

The Coast to the Gorge

Twyla Barnes, Superintendent of ESD 112, describes the special challenges of ESD 112’s service area and how some employees work and live far from the regional office.

ESDs a good solution in tough times

Twyla Barnes, Superintendent of ESD 112, explains why school districts should look to their ESD during economic downturns.

AESD Network

Twyla Barnes, Superintendent of ESD 112, describes why the AESD Network is undergoing significant direction changes.