On Feb. 26, 2025, Broome-Tioga BOCES Superintendent Dr. Rebecca Stone joined district superintendents from across New York State for BOCES Advocacy Day in Albany. The group met with lawmakers to champion legislative priorities aimed at strengthening educational services and ensuring sustainable funding for the state’s 37 BOCES.

A key focus of this year’s advocacy efforts was support for S.528 (Mayer)/A.3430 (Conrad)—a bill that seeks to amend education law to address the salaries of teachers and aides employed by BOCES. Stone and her colleagues emphasized the critical role of these professionals in providing specialized instruction and career training programs and called for legislative action to ensure competitive compensation.

BOCES of New York State (BOCES of NYS) outlined several key priorities for lawmakers:

Advocates urged the state to fully fund the Foundation Aid formula at the levels proposed by the Executive Budget while incorporating updated poverty measures and a guaranteed minimum increase for all districts. They also stressed the importance of maintaining Expense-Based Aids—a vital funding mechanism that supports services such as transportation, building improvements, and special education programs.

The current BOCES aid formula has remained unchanged for decades, capping eligibility at the first $30,000 of a teacher’s salary. Dr. Stone and other superintendents pushed for an update that would gradually increase the aidable salary cap to $60,000 over the next three years, ensuring BOCES programs remain competitive in attracting and retaining high-quality educators.

A major concern discussed was the need to extend the authorization allowing public sector retirees under age 65 to work for BOCES and school districts without pension penalties or income limits. Without legislative action, this exemption will expire at the end of the 2024-25 school year, reverting income limits to $35,000 per year before retirees face pension penalties. Stone and her colleagues called for a five-year extension to help mitigate staffing shortages and keep experienced educators in the workforce.

Advocates also called for an adjustment in lease agreement policies. Under current law, BOCES can enter into 20-year leases with private entities but are limited to 10-year leases with public-sector entities, including school districts. Stone joined others in urging lawmakers to align lease terms, allowing BOCES the same flexibility when leasing from public entities as they have with private ones.

As the legislative session continues, BOCES of NYS will work with lawmakers to advance these priorities, ensuring that BOCES can continue to provide high-quality career and technical education, special education, and shared services to school districts across New York.