Chief School Officers Outline 2022 Legislative Priorities

Districts in the WSWHE BOCES region are appreciative of the efforts of the legislature to secure a significant increase in school aid and encourage legislators to continue the trend in the 2022-23 budget cycle. During the meeting, the committee presented three key priorities 

1. Fund 2022-2023 School Aid to the Greatest Extent Possible 
2. Increase the Building Aid threshold for Small Capital Projects 
3. Increase the $30,000 Cap on BOCES Aid for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teacher Salaries

For more information and detailed descriptions of the 2021 WSWHE Chief School Officers Legislative Priorities, please click here.

Ahead of the meeting, Career and Technical Education (CTE) Culinary Arts students from both centers prepared boxes of baked goods which were sent to guests. The occasion gave the CTE students a chance to practice catering skills and follow Serve Safe COVID-19 protocols. 

The meeting featured a panel of current CTE students, an alumni, and a business partner. The discussion highlighted that CTE programs are motivators for students to find their passion and future career path while making a significant contribution to regional workforce development.  

“Interns from the BOCES program are important. I wish we had more of them,” said Kate Mancini, a business partner from Saratoga Honda. She also spoke about how difficult it is in her industry to find young skilled technicians to take the reign from those who are retiring. She  wants to help get the word out about the opportunities and income that can be made in her industry.

Jeremy DeLor, a 2018 graduate of the construction trades program, started his own residential contracting company. “CTE gave me the knowledge to start a business. If I didn’t do the program, I would still be a laborer,” said DeLor.