Highlights

Professional Development - The Minnesota Service Cooperatives offer a wide variety of workshops, seminars, and conferences.  The agencies also host a number of professional networks, associations, and learning communities.  Training opportunities may be offered on a regional basis or customized to fit the needs of individual organizations, including on site training.  Professional Development offerings serve many employee groups:  from School Administrators to Bus Drivers, from CEO to Administrative Assistants, from Custodian to Para Professionals.

Cooperative Purchasing - Cooperative Purchasing services are designed to take advantage of the greater bargaining power that members can have when they bid for goods collectively as a unit.  Most Service Cooperatives charge a small percentage of the order cost as a fee for their service.  A variety of school supplies, cafeteria equipment, and custodial supplies are purchased through this program.  All of the Minnesota Service Cooperatives offer members this service.

Insurance Programs - Each Service Agency operates insurance pools for Health Insurance as well as other Risk Management areas.  Combined premiums exceed $100 million annually, and pool members have experienced substantial savings and cost containment as a result of these cooperative efforts.  A number of SC's are utilizing a VEBA Trust Fund as a option to traditional Insurance Programs.

Student Academic Challenge Programs - All Service Agencies offer, sponsor, and coordinate academic programs and competitions for students, often in cooperation with other organizations and agencies.  Several of these competitions reach state, national, and international levels.  Programs include:

Technology Services - Several Service Cooperatives provide technology training and assistive technology support to their clients.  These services include training, planning, and implementation of new technologies in the school, home, and workplace, including network infrastructures, Internet connectivity, and software applications.  Additionally, the Service Cooperatives provide direct support to schools in the integration of technology and instruction.

What We Do?