Board of Cooperative Educational Services
Encyclopedia
In 1948, the New York State Legislature
created the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to provide school district
s with a program of shared educational services.
s. Passed in 1948, the act was aimed at enabling small rural school districts to combine their resources to provide services that otherwise would have been uneconomical, inefficient, or unavailable.
BOCES was to be the temporary means by which careful transitions could be made to an intermediate district framework. Though its purposes were similar to those of the proposed intermediate districts, BOCES was conceived and written into the Education
Law
in its own separate sections (1950 and 1951). Simpler in structure and less autonomous than projected intermediate districts, the BOCES proved itself worthy of being both means and end. Not one intermediate district was ever formed, and cooperative boards proliferated rapidly, especially during the mid-1950s, reaching 82 by 1958.
In 1972 the Intermediate School District Act was repealed. Law
s pertaining to BOCES, however, have remained on the books. Thus BOCES has developed from a special-purpose, interim agency into a formally recognized middle or intermediate unit in New York State's public education
system. There are currently 37 BOCES incorporating all but 9 of the 721 school districts in New York State.
Moreover, other states have moved toward regional educational configurations like BOCES. At least 30 state legislatures have mandated or passed legislations, as educational service agencies study the idea.
is called a supervisory district.
BOCES membership is not available to the so-called Big Five city school districts: New York City
, Buffalo
, Rochester
, Yonkers
, and Syracuse
.
Once a district has joined a BOCES, it cannot withdraw and is obligated to pay its annual share of administrative, rental, or facilities expenses. BOCES services are, however, optional. They may be purchased or not purchased as the district's Board of Education
sees fit. The decision to purchase or not purchase BOCES services is made each school year by district BOEs.
s decide they have similar needs that can be met by a shared program. BOCES helps school districts save money by providing opportunities to pool resources and share costs.
Sharing is an economical way for districts to provide programs and services that they might not be able to afford otherwise. It is often more efficient
and less costly to operate one central service than it is to have separate programs in each school district
. BOCES services are often customized offering districts the flexibility to meet their individual needs.
BOCES is governed just as local districts are governed: by a Board of Education
, which is made up of one representative from component districts. Board members are responsible for curricular, financial, and other policy decisions, just as they are at the local level.
Members are elected by component school board members. BOCES board members do not need to be local school board members, but they must be eligible voters in component school districts of that BOCES.
Election to BOCES boards occurs at an annual BOCES meeting, which by law is held in April.
The duties and powers of BOCES boards, as specified in 1950 of the Education
Law
of the State of New York, include the following:
, contingent upon approval of the commissioner of education. As a BOCES executive, the district superintendent serves local districts and is responsible to the board of education
representing the component districts of the BOCES.
The district superintendent also serves as a representative of the commissioner of education, providing educational leadership
to local school districts in matter of law, policy, and practice.
Based on these responsibilities, the district superintendent has at least three important roles:
Under New York State Education Law, a BOCES must furnish any educational service that is requested by two or more component districts and approved by the commissioner of education according to need and practicality in a regional context.
By January of each year, the Boards of Education
in component school districts specify their potential service needs for the following school year. These needs, developed by the BOCES into annual operating plans, are submitted to the New York State Education Department and the commissioner of education for approval. BOCES boards then notify component districts of the approved services, asking for a firm commitment to participate by May 1 of each year.
The BOCES and the component districts then enter into formal contracts. Specified in each contract are the number and types of services to be furnished by the BOCES, the number of people to be served, and the amount to be paid to the BOCES.
Signed by the BOCES and component board president
s, and then approved by the commissioner, these contracts are effective for one year, after which they may be renewed, changed, or cancelled at the component districts' option. Because districts' needs change every year, decisions about BOCES services may also change every year. If the district doesn't need a BOCES service, it doesn't request it and it doesn't pay for it.
Districts may also authorize multi-year service requests from BOCES.
s, they often cost much less than if districts provided the services on their own. Districts pool their resources, and share the savings.
In addition, New York State gives a financial incentive to participate in shared services by offering school districts state aid for BOCES services. Here is how BOCES state aid works:
. Instead, the sources of BOCES funds are primarily taxes levied by its component districts, state aid, and a relatively small amount of federal aid
.
These funds support an administrative budget (covering administrative salaries, equipment, and services) and a program budget (covering other BOCES programs and services which districts select from the Service Directory, an annual listing of available services). In addition, BOCES may receive and manage funding from outside sources (e.g., state and federal) to cover special projects.
The component district's share of BOCES administrative, lease and capital costs is based either on the Resident Weighted Average Daily Attendance (RWADA) or on real property valuation.
Program costs are proportional to the amount of use each component district requires.
Through BOCES state aid, component districts receive financial support for their participation in BOCES. The cost charged to a component district for its BOCES participation serves as the basis for the district's BOCES state aid.
s.
A large percentage of BOCES programs are instructional; that is to say, they serve student
s with classroom
programs and services. Examples of instructional programs are vocational-technical programs for high school students, physical
, speech and occupational therapy
for students with disabilities
, and literacy
programs for adults.
Often support staff are broken into on-site, related, or itinerant staff positions. Related personnel often support the program and are housed at the on-site location while Itinerant staff provide services to component districts on an individual or case-by-case basis.
The remaining programs are called support services. Although they are not classroom
programs, support services are still very important because they relate to the education
of student
s, and because they help school districts save money. This frees up resources to better serve students directly. Examples of support services are staff development, central bus maintenance, the central business office, Regional Information Centers.
An example of programs that BOCES might offer are Academics Support, Auto Body Repair, Auto Technology, Building Maintenance, Business Computer Technology, Carpentry, Computer Repair and Networking, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, Electrical Wiring Technology, Forestry & Conservation, Gas/Diesel Mechanics, Life Skills, Medical Careers, New Vision Health, Nursing Assistant, Practical Nursing, Small Animal Care and Visual Communications.
New York Legislature
The New York State Legislature is the term often used to refer to the two houses that act as the state legislature of the U.S. state of New York. The New York Constitution does not designate an official term for the two houses together...
created the Boards of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) to provide school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s with a program of shared educational services.
History
BOCES owes its origin to a state legislative enactment authorizing the formation of intermediate school districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s. Passed in 1948, the act was aimed at enabling small rural school districts to combine their resources to provide services that otherwise would have been uneconomical, inefficient, or unavailable.
BOCES was to be the temporary means by which careful transitions could be made to an intermediate district framework. Though its purposes were similar to those of the proposed intermediate districts, BOCES was conceived and written into the Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
in its own separate sections (1950 and 1951). Simpler in structure and less autonomous than projected intermediate districts, the BOCES proved itself worthy of being both means and end. Not one intermediate district was ever formed, and cooperative boards proliferated rapidly, especially during the mid-1950s, reaching 82 by 1958.
In 1972 the Intermediate School District Act was repealed. Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
s pertaining to BOCES, however, have remained on the books. Thus BOCES has developed from a special-purpose, interim agency into a formally recognized middle or intermediate unit in New York State's public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
system. There are currently 37 BOCES incorporating all but 9 of the 721 school districts in New York State.
Moreover, other states have moved toward regional educational configurations like BOCES. At least 30 state legislatures have mandated or passed legislations, as educational service agencies study the idea.
BOCES Membership
The total area under supervision of a district superintendentSuperintendent (education)
In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
is called a supervisory district.
BOCES membership is not available to the so-called Big Five city school districts: New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
, Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, Yonkers
Yonkers, New York
Yonkers is the fourth most populous city in the state of New York , and the most populous city in Westchester County, with a population of 195,976...
, and Syracuse
Syracuse, New York
Syracuse is a city in and the county seat of Onondaga County, New York, United States, the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and the fifth most populous city in the state. At the 2010 census, the city population was 145,170, and its metropolitan area had a population of 742,603...
.
Once a district has joined a BOCES, it cannot withdraw and is obligated to pay its annual share of administrative, rental, or facilities expenses. BOCES services are, however, optional. They may be purchased or not purchased as the district's Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
sees fit. The decision to purchase or not purchase BOCES services is made each school year by district BOEs.
How BOCES Works
BOCES services are created when two or more school districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s decide they have similar needs that can be met by a shared program. BOCES helps school districts save money by providing opportunities to pool resources and share costs.
Sharing is an economical way for districts to provide programs and services that they might not be able to afford otherwise. It is often more efficient
Efficiency (economics)
In economics, the term economic efficiency refers to the use of resources so as to maximize the production of goods and services. An economic system is said to be more efficient than another if it can provide more goods and services for society without using more resources...
and less costly to operate one central service than it is to have separate programs in each school district
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
. BOCES services are often customized offering districts the flexibility to meet their individual needs.
BOCES is governed just as local districts are governed: by a Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
, which is made up of one representative from component districts. Board members are responsible for curricular, financial, and other policy decisions, just as they are at the local level.
Members are elected by component school board members. BOCES board members do not need to be local school board members, but they must be eligible voters in component school districts of that BOCES.
Election to BOCES boards occurs at an annual BOCES meeting, which by law is held in April.
The duties and powers of BOCES boards, as specified in 1950 of the Education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
Law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
of the State of New York, include the following:
- Appointment of a district superintendentSuperintendent (education)In education in the United States, a superintendent is an individual who has executive oversight and administration rights, usually within an educational entity or organization....
, subject to approval of the Commissioner of Education; - Provision of cooperative educational services -- with the commissioner's approval and on a contract basis -- to component school districts;
- Needs assessment and long-range planning for cooperativeCooperativeA cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
educationEducationEducation in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al services in the supervisory district; - Employment of teacherTeacherA teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
s and other support personnel to carry out BOCES programs; - Preparation of an adjustable budgetBudgetA budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
for the supervisory district program and its administration; - Administration of payments for and costs of provided educational services;
- BorrowingDebtA debt is an obligation owed by one party to a second party, the creditor; usually this refers to assets granted by the creditor to the debtor, but the term can also be used metaphorically to cover moral obligations and other interactions not based on economic value.A debt is created when a...
of money in anticipation of revenue due; - Entering into contractContractA contract is an agreement entered into by two parties or more with the intention of creating a legal obligation, which may have elements in writing. Contracts can be made orally. The remedy for breach of contract can be "damages" or compensation of money. In equity, the remedy can be specific...
s with a variety of public agencies as well as non-public schools in order to arrange or provide services under specified conditions; - RentingRentingRenting is an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property owned by another. A gross lease is when the tenant pays a flat rental amount and the landlord pays for all property charges regularly incurred by the ownership from landowners...
, purchasing, or selling of propertyPropertyProperty is any physical or intangible entity that is owned by a person or jointly by a group of people or a legal entity like a corporation...
or facilities under specified conditions; - Making reports to the commissioner of education as required.
The District Superintendent
A BOCES board appoints its own chief executive officerChief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
, contingent upon approval of the commissioner of education. As a BOCES executive, the district superintendent serves local districts and is responsible to the board of education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
representing the component districts of the BOCES.
The district superintendent also serves as a representative of the commissioner of education, providing educational leadership
Leadership
Leadership has been described as the “process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task". Other in-depth definitions of leadership have also emerged.-Theories:...
to local school districts in matter of law, policy, and practice.
Based on these responsibilities, the district superintendent has at least three important roles:
- Educational change agent
- Regional planner and coordinator
- Field representative for the New York State Education Department, a consultative capacity designed to improve two-way communication between state and local levels
Structure and Procedures for Providing Services
The facilities, professional personnel, and services of a BOCES are available to every local school district within the district superintendent's supervisory district. Because the BOCES board must develop its offerings to fulfill local demands and needs, levels of accountability and flexibility are maintained.Under New York State Education Law, a BOCES must furnish any educational service that is requested by two or more component districts and approved by the commissioner of education according to need and practicality in a regional context.
By January of each year, the Boards of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
in component school districts specify their potential service needs for the following school year. These needs, developed by the BOCES into annual operating plans, are submitted to the New York State Education Department and the commissioner of education for approval. BOCES boards then notify component districts of the approved services, asking for a firm commitment to participate by May 1 of each year.
The BOCES and the component districts then enter into formal contracts. Specified in each contract are the number and types of services to be furnished by the BOCES, the number of people to be served, and the amount to be paid to the BOCES.
Signed by the BOCES and component board president
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
s, and then approved by the commissioner, these contracts are effective for one year, after which they may be renewed, changed, or cancelled at the component districts' option. Because districts' needs change every year, decisions about BOCES services may also change every year. If the district doesn't need a BOCES service, it doesn't request it and it doesn't pay for it.
Districts may also authorize multi-year service requests from BOCES.
Reasons for participation
Because BOCES services are shared by two or more school districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s, they often cost much less than if districts provided the services on their own. Districts pool their resources, and share the savings.
In addition, New York State gives a financial incentive to participate in shared services by offering school districts state aid for BOCES services. Here is how BOCES state aid works:
- Each district's Board of Education selects BOCES services for the current year.
- The following school year, a portion of the cost of BOCES services is returned to the district as BOCES aid.
- The amount returned is based on a formula that takes into account the districts' financial resources.
- Money not spent in a CoSerCoSerCoSer Is an acronym for COoperative SERvice is a regional educational support program housed at a BOCES in New York State. These serviced are centralized in order to save money for participating school districts or to allow smaller districts to have services which they might not be able to afford...
service is returned to the district at the end of each fiscal year by the BOCES.
Funding
A BOCES has no taxing authorityTax
To tax is to impose a financial charge or other levy upon a taxpayer by a state or the functional equivalent of a state such that failure to pay is punishable by law. Taxes are also imposed by many subnational entities...
. Instead, the sources of BOCES funds are primarily taxes levied by its component districts, state aid, and a relatively small amount of federal aid
Federal grant
In the United States, federal grants are economic aid issued by the United States government out of the general federal revenue. A federal grant is an award of financial assistance from a federal agency to a recipient to carry out a public purpose of support or stimulation authorized by a law of...
.
These funds support an administrative budget (covering administrative salaries, equipment, and services) and a program budget (covering other BOCES programs and services which districts select from the Service Directory, an annual listing of available services). In addition, BOCES may receive and manage funding from outside sources (e.g., state and federal) to cover special projects.
The component district's share of BOCES administrative, lease and capital costs is based either on the Resident Weighted Average Daily Attendance (RWADA) or on real property valuation.
Program costs are proportional to the amount of use each component district requires.
Through BOCES state aid, component districts receive financial support for their participation in BOCES. The cost charged to a component district for its BOCES participation serves as the basis for the district's BOCES state aid.
Programs
Every BOCES is a little different, depending on the needs of the local school districtSchool district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
s.
A large percentage of BOCES programs are instructional; that is to say, they serve student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s with classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
programs and services. Examples of instructional programs are vocational-technical programs for high school students, physical
Physical therapy
Physical therapy , often abbreviated PT, is a health care profession. Physical therapy is concerned with identifying and maximizing quality of life and movement potential within the spheres of promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment/intervention,and rehabilitation...
, speech and occupational therapy
Occupational therapy
Occupational therapy is a discipline that aims to promote health by enabling people to perform meaningful and purposeful activities. Occupational therapists work with individuals who suffer from a mentally, physically, developmentally, and/or emotionally disabling condition by utilizing treatments...
for students with disabilities
Disability
A disability may be physical, cognitive, mental, sensory, emotional, developmental or some combination of these.Many people would rather be referred to as a person with a disability instead of handicapped...
, and literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
programs for adults.
Often support staff are broken into on-site, related, or itinerant staff positions. Related personnel often support the program and are housed at the on-site location while Itinerant staff provide services to component districts on an individual or case-by-case basis.
The remaining programs are called support services. Although they are not classroom
Classroom
A classroom is a room in which teaching or learning activities can take place. Classrooms are found in educational institutions of all kinds, including public and private schools, corporations, and religious and humanitarian organizations...
programs, support services are still very important because they relate to the education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
of student
Student
A student is a learner, or someone who attends an educational institution. In some nations, the English term is reserved for those who attend university, while a schoolchild under the age of eighteen is called a pupil in English...
s, and because they help school districts save money. This frees up resources to better serve students directly. Examples of support services are staff development, central bus maintenance, the central business office, Regional Information Centers.
An example of programs that BOCES might offer are Academics Support, Auto Body Repair, Auto Technology, Building Maintenance, Business Computer Technology, Carpentry, Computer Repair and Networking, Cosmetology, Criminal Justice, Culinary Arts, Early Childhood Education, Electrical Wiring Technology, Forestry & Conservation, Gas/Diesel Mechanics, Life Skills, Medical Careers, New Vision Health, Nursing Assistant, Practical Nursing, Small Animal Care and Visual Communications.
List of Regional Information Centers (RICs)
- Broome - Tioga BOCES RIC
- Central New York Regional Information Center (CNYRIC)
- Eastern Suffolk BOCES RIC
- Lower Hudson Regional Information Center
- Mid-Hudson Regional Computer Center
- Mohawk Regional Information Center
- Monroe 1 BOCES RIC
- Nassau BOCES RIC
- Northeastern Regional Information Center
- Schuyler - Chemung - Tioga BOCES RCC
- Wayne - Finger Lakes Regional Information Center
- Western New York RIC
- Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES
See also
- List of BOCES
- Lists of school districts in New York