Kent ISD

Description:Kent ISD is a regional educational service agency focused on student achievement and customer satisfaction. We collaborate extensively with our schools and community to provide essential services and programs, sending more dollars back into classrooms. Kent ISD is the largest ISD in West Michigan, fourth largest in the state. Our primary customers are the students, teachers, staff and administrators of 20 public school districts, Christian and Catholic schools and Public School Academies. Our services cover 97,000 (approx.) students in our 20 public school districts, 7,800 students in Public School Academies and 14,000 students in non-public schools. Of these students, about 15,000 receive special education services. Collaboration is the way we work. With our school districts, we help increase their capacity in a multitude of ways so they can serve students more effectively, including: -providing much of the region's professional development -a data warehouse serving six ISDs -experts in school improvement and curriculum -technology and help desk services -special education itinerant staff and center-based programs -busing for special education and some general education students -financial systems, payroll services and HR help -a first-of-its-kind collaborative bargaining agreement With our many community partners, we engage in ground-breaking initiatives like Kent School Services network, bringing health and human services into high-poverty schools, or Student Voice, bringing student engagement into re-designing the educational experience. Our newest initiative is Kent Innovation High, a New Tech Network school featuring very new ways of teaching and learning, opening Fall 2011. One of our best known programs is Kent Career Technical Center, long known for its world-class labs and now providing college classes and credit (thetechcenter.org) for high school juniors and seniors. The Kent Transition Center, also on our campus, provides job skills and work experience for students with learning disabilities. Bright Beginnings and Early On provide early childhood services.