(1) An intermediate school board shall do all of the following:

  (a) Upon request of the board of a constituent district, furnish services on a management, consultant, or supervisory basis to the district. The intermediate school board may charge a constituent district for the costs of services furnished under this subdivision.

  (b) Upon request of the board of a constituent district, direct, supervise, and conduct cooperative educational programs on behalf of the district. The intermediate school board may utilize available funds not otherwise obligated by law and accept contributions from other sources for the purpose of financing the programs. The funds shall be deposited with the treasurer in a cooperative education fund and shall be disbursed as the intermediate school board directs. The intermediate school board may employ personnel and take other action necessary to direct, supervise, and conduct cooperative educational programs.

  (c) Conduct cooperative programs mutually agreed upon by 2 or more intermediate school boards.

  (d) Conduct cooperative programs mutually agreed upon with 1 or more public school academies.

  (2) An intermediate school board may conduct or participate in cooperative programs for information technology systems which may include, but are not limited to, equipment for storage, retrieval, processing, and transmission of voice, data, or video communications; contract with public schools or other educational institutions, government agencies, public broadcasting stations or systems, or information technology service providers in conducting the programs; and acquire and install the equipment, software, and training necessary for the programs in the manner and at the places the intermediate school board considers appropriate.

  (3) Upon request of the board of a constituent school district or public school academy located within the intermediate school district, an intermediate school board may provide, either solely or as part of a consortium of intermediate school districts, comprehensive school improvement support services to the district or public school academy. These services may include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

  (a) The development of a core curriculum.

  (b) The evaluation of a core curriculum.

  (c) The preparation of 1 or more school improvement plans.

  (d) The dissemination of information concerning 1 or more school improvement plans.

  (e) The preparation of an annual educational report.

  (f) Professional development.

  (g) Educational research.

  (h) The compilation of instructional objectives, instructional resources, pupil demographics, and pupil academic achievement.

  (i) Assistance in obtaining school accreditation.

  (j) The provision of general technical assistance.

  (4) To the extent allowed by law, if the most cost-effective business services are not available to constituent districts, an intermediate school board shall offer to provide for constituent districts and public school academies located within the intermediate school district business services that can be accomplished more cost-effectively by an intermediate school district. An intermediate school district may charge a fee for these services, and may contract with a third party for provision of some or all of these services. These services may include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

  (a) Data processing.

  (b) Payroll.

  (c) Class scheduling.

  (d) Distance learning coordination and delivery.

  (e) Transportation services.