As of Sept. 1, the Allegan County Intermediate School District will officially become the Allegan Area Educational Service Agency, or AAESA. The change was made to reflect what the ISD does, because there's always been the question of what “intermediate school district” actually means.

“The main reason,'” said board President Phyllis Drozd, “is to better describe to the public what we really are all about. We are a service agency.'”

The ISD provides services to local school districts. The “intermediate'” term came about, she said, because it was a district between the local districts and the state department of education. A further reason for the change is that the “Allegan County” part of the ACISD is not correct. The districts served by the ACISD spill over into Van Buren, Barry, Kalamazoo and Kent counties. The ACISD encompasses the districts of Allegan, Plainwell, Otsego, Martin, Wayland, Hopkins, Fennville and Glenn.

Source: Rod Smith, Kalamazoo Gazette, 7.24.06