CESA 1 - Who We Are

About CESA #1

Cooperative Educational Service Agencies (CESAs) were created by the Wisconsin legislature more than 50 years ago to serve as a link between school districts and between school districts and the state. There are twelve CESAs across the state.

Located in Southeastern Wisconsin, CESA #1 is governed by an 11 member Board of Control, comprised of elected school board members from the six county region. In addition, the Agency receives guidance from its Professional Advisory Committee, which is open to the superintendents from all 45 member districts.

The region served by CESA #1 is unique. It is home to both the largest and smallest districts in the state, as well as some of the most advantaged and disadvantaged students. It contains urban, suburban and rural districts, and some districts have broad diversity, while others do not. These differences require a philosophy and a team that are highly connected to the varying needs and people of the region, while keeping students and educators at the forefront of everything that the Agency does.

Our Vision

To be a regional catalyst that enables our clients to create their future by taking action now.

Our Mission

To provide high quality, cost effective programs and services that are responsive to the dynamic needs of our members, clients, and the students they serve.

Our Work

We offer more than 100 services that help education providers meet the diverse needs of their students. By remaining flexible and responsive, we have successfully served multiple clients with divergent and sometimes competing needs for more than five decades.

As a cooperative, we leverage local, state, and national resources to support schools in providing quality learning opportunities for all students. As a regional leader in innovation and collaborative services in Southeastern Wisconsin, we mobilize the potential of school districts, educators, educational institutions, and business partners to face the challenges of a global economy and the need for world class schools.

Our Core Values

Capacity-building | we build the capacity of learners to grow, educators to teach, leaders to lead, and districts to improve

Design frameworks, scaffolding, and consultation efforts that align with a philosophy of capacity building to support learners, educators, leaders, and districts to improve.
Address emerging issues and take advantage of and leverage new opportunities and approaches.
Engage clients in collaborative efforts to pool resources and expertise, share costs, and accelerate progress to transform practices and systems in response to new expectations and initiatives.

Excellence | we develop high-quality programs, products and services and innovative solutions

Benchmark with the best and be a benchmark of the best.
Attain maximum efficiency and effectiveness for the good of our clients and the learners we serve.
Hire highly effective staff who are passionate about helping the students in our community.

Expansion | we grow and leverage strategic advantages to successfully meet the needs of our clients

Conduct ongoing outreach to members and clients regarding how to best leverage regional collaboration and customer-based service delivery to meet their needs.
Establish and expand partnerships, networks, support services, and direct or indirect services to students.

Innovation | we design, advance and champion innovative practices, solutions and methods

Reflect a future orientation in our programs and services to address the needs of the 21st Century learner, teacher, leader, and school/district.
Provide leadership in the educational community in new and innovative ways to better serve the region.
Facilitate regional networks that encourage participants to share knowledge and diverse perspectives, and provide opportunities for rich collaborations.