In an effort to provide more services and courses to rural North Dakota students, the Northeast Education Services Cooperative was formed on January 4, 2001. The cooperative permits coordination of education services and provides opportunities for shared and new services for schools. Leaders of participating schools are active in governance and administration of the cooperative. The NESC is directed by a governing board and an administrative board. The governing board-school board members and officials of the colleges-makes policy decisions on behalf of the member school districts and colleges. All decisions require unanimous approval, but any school district may opt out of particular programs. The administrative board coordinates the administrative services to the school districts and colleges. The administrative board consists of the chief administrators or their designees for each school district and the colleges.