About WSWHE BOCES

Mission

The mission of WSWHE BOCES is to provide future-focused programs and high-quality services designed to meet the needs of all students and to support all of our partners.

Vision

The vision of WSWHE BOCES is to be a trusted leader in education, workforce development and innovation.

WSWHE BOCES collaborates, connects, and creates in order to provide relevant programming and meaningful solutions in support of the whole student, our valued partners and all stakeholders.

What We Are

WSWHE BOCES serves 31 school districts in a five-county region. The Board of of Cooperative Educational Services, a governing board made up of representatives from component school districts, is responsible for the oversight of curricular, financial and other policy decisions. The chief executive officer of a BOCES is the District Superintendent who works closely with local school districts as a liaison/agent of the New York State Commissioner of Education. WSWHE BOCES is the second largest geographically of the 37 BOCES regions in New York State covering 2,686 square miles. It is also the 13th largest in terms of kindergarten through grade 12 enrollments in the participating component school districts. With 31 component districts, it is the fourth largest in the State, after three BOCES on Long Island and Westchester County.

What We Do

WSWHE BOCES provides educational services for students of all age levels and abilities. We recognize and encourage student success, and continue to increase collaboration and communication with component school districts.

What is a BOCES

BOCES stands for Board of Cooperative Educational Services. It is a public organization that was created by the New York State Legislature in 1948 to provide shared educational programs and services to school districts. Today, BOCES continues to partner with school districts to provide a broad range of services to help meet the evolving needs of learners of all ages.

BOCES services are created when two or more school districts 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. However, BOCES services are often customized, offering districts the flexibility to meet their individual needs. Except for an administrative charge that is based on each district's size, districts pay only for BOCES services they use. BOCES expenses are incorporated into each district's annual budget. State aid helps offset some of the expenses, while others are directly funded by the state or federal government. BOCES has no taxing authority.