Sherman Central School officials are pictured voting on the BOCES budget and ballot. Photo by David Prenatt

Why did all of the school boards meet on April 20? To hear fellow board members say “Aye.”

The “ayes” were spoken to approve the proposed 2021-22 BOCES administrative budget and to approve the BOCES board member nominees.

The Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES is one of 37 BOCES that partner with and support school districts in New York state. According to the Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES website, “A BOCES is able to provide services that school districts may be too small to offer on their own or that would be more economical to offer collaboratively, sharing costs with other school districts. All but nine of New York State’s 721 school districts are represented by a BOCES.”

The 27 component districts that make up Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES, were each required to hold a board of education meeting on April 20, to vote on BOCES board member nominees and the administrative budget. BOCES announces the date to component districts; the date is often the third Tuesday in April, according to school district clerks who report the results.

Some area districts rescheduled their regular board of education meeting, moving it to April 20, while others held special board meetings, either in person or via ZOOM, to vote on the BOCES budget and board member nominees. The four candidates running for the BOCES board are all incumbents who are willing to serve an additional term of office.

Districts are also asked to approve their commitment statements for BOCES services for the 2021-22 academic year and to approve their own BOCES budget (cost) for the 2021-22 school year. While individual districts have no control over the administrative budget, they have a hand in determining their own BOCES budget for the coming year.

Changes in a district’s BOCES budget from year to year are influenced by the number of students using BOCES services or a change in the number of educational services that the district is able to offer “in house.” Board approval for the district’s commitment statement and their BOCES budget are usually accomplished at a regular board of education meeting.