Make The Most of Your
Educational Funds

   As the business arm of the Cooperating School Districts (CSD), Business Services is responsible for six self-supporting programs:

• Cooperative Purchasing
• Insurance Trust
• Financial Services
• REAP
• Technology Services
• Core Data

   While the Financial Services and the Insurance Trust programs support CSD members, the Cooperative Purchasing program works independently of CSD. It provides services to public, private and parochial schools across Missouri.

Cooperative Purchasing Creates Economic Partnership

   Cooperative Purchasing is a dynamic, innovative program enabling teachers and students to purchase more than $12 million a year in educational products and services by creating an economic partnership. Large discounts are passed on to participants because Business Services buys in volumes not ordinarily possible for individual schools or school districts.

   Diverse, high-quality, up-to-date products are a valuable by-product of volume purchasing. Business Services works closely with more than 300 vendors who provide 40,000 varieties of products.

Financial Support

   Business Services Financial Services program functions internally to guarantee the economic stability of CSD by handling such activities as budgeting, data processing and financial reporting.

Insurance Coverage for CSD Members

   The Insurance Trust manages medical, dental and life insurance coverage for participating CSD members. In order to control the spiraling inflation of insurance premiums, Business Services acts as a trustee researching the benefit options available to employees and their families. The Insurance Trust secures the lowest possible rate for participants and keeps them aware of changes in coverage.

Business Services Past, Present and Future

   As early as 1950, the Cooperating School Districts of St. Louis saw the need for an organization that could consolidate purchasing information and leverage the potential economic strength of K-12 schools.

   Initially, the cooperative purchasing program was run by voluntary committees, but success led to a new division of CSD with the primary mission of formalizing and expanding this program. The fiscal responsibilities of the purchasing program were a natural lead-in to two other business services, financial support for the CSD organization and an insurance trust for CSD members.

   Business Services is committed to helping schools make the best use of funds. And while students and teachers gain product and pricing benefits, they also gain from Business Services' earnings which are used to fund other CSD programs.

   As with all the divisions of CSD, Business Services' ongoing charter is to provide students with the best education possible. The organization's goal is to maximize the purchasing power of school dollars. As a result, students have access to the best supplies available and teachers can spend more time teaching and less time worrying about supplies. Business Services continues to research new and better ways to offer its customers the opportunity to purchase the best quality products at the lowest possible price.

Business Services Division Organization

Chief Executive Officer - Steve Keyser
Director - Bob Slama
Manager of Purchasing - Tom Post

   Four departments handle the daily activities necessary to support the Cooperative Purchasing program: Customer Service, Accounting, Data Processing, and Purchasing. Customer Service acts as a liaison between customers and vendors, assists customers in placing orders and is responsible for their accuracy. Accounting is responsible for posting payments and billing schools. Purchasing establishes terms and conditions and a bid document for each vendor. Data Processing is responsible for CSD's computers and web site.