Save the money

The superintendents of the Baker, Pine-Eagle and North Powder school districts have a way to save the state tens of thousands of dollars every year.

All that remains is for state officials to take advantage of this chance.

The superintendents want to do what they’ve been doing the past couple years: Have their districts, rather than the Union-Baker Education Service District, run the special education and several other programs for students in their districts.

During that time, the Union-Baker ESD has given state and federal dollars to the three school districts, rather than having ESD employees operate the programs.

The three districts — known as the South Consortium — can do the work for less money in part because district employees and contractors earn less than ESD staff.

Last fiscal year the South Consortium ran the same programs for $46,000. The budget for the current fiscal year is $35,000.

The South Consortium superintendents have asked Susan Castillo, superintendent of the state education department, to allow the consortium to continue — even if, as has been proposed, the Union-Baker ESD merges with the Umatilla-Morrow ESD.

In a response letter, Ed Dennis, Castillo’s deputy, wrote that the department has no authority “to create a new education service district.”

But that’s no reason to dismiss the idea.

If state officials are serious about saving money — and the education department has pleaded poverty as loudly as any — then they need to persuade the Legislature to do whatever is necessary to save the South Consortium.

And taxpayers’ money.