BOCES

What BOCES does

BOCES of New York State is a public educational services organization created by the New York State Legislature in 1948 under Section 1950 of Education Law. It coordinates a statewide network of 37 regional BOCES serving nearly 700 public school districts across New York (excluding the Big Five city districts of NYC, Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, and Syracuse), and is the only statutorily authorized mechanism for inter-district shared educational services in the state. The organization employs more than 31,000 New Yorkers and functions as a federated cooperative rather than a single unified entity, with each regional BOCES governed independently by a Board of Education and led by a District Superintendent.

Core services span Career and Technical Education (CTE), Special Education, Adult Education (ESL and HSE programs), Early College and Dual Enrollment pathways, Professional Development, and non-instructional shared services such as cooperative purchasing, health benefits consortiums, and transportation. Technology infrastructure is centralized through 12 Regional Information Centers (RICs) that deliver administrative systems, student management platforms, data analysis, integration and verification, and technical support to more than 95% of public school districts. The RICs partner with Gartner for advisory services. A newer product, the DEI Repository, was developed with NYSED and Tangible Development as a statewide resource platform for K-12 educators.

BOCES operates a public-sector revenue model: component school districts commit to services by May 1 of each year through formal contracts approved by the Commissioner of Education, and districts then receive state BOCES Aid based on a state-approved formula to offset prior-year purchases. BOCES do not receive Foundation Aid or direct formula aid from the state. Cooperative bidding and piggyback contracts generate more than $20 million in annual cost savings across the network, with 78% of BOCES participating. Surplus funds at year-end are returned to component districts rather than retained.

Name

BOCES

Legal name

BOCES of New York State

Website

https://boces.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

BOCES of New York State is a public educational services organization, established in 1948 by state statute, that coordinates 37 regional BOCES serving nearly 700 New York public school districts with shared CTE, special education, adult education, technology, and cooperative purchasing programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Educational Cooperative Services

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Regional Education Service Agencies (ESAs/BOCES/Intermediate Units) (EDADABAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Back-Office Administration & Shared Services (HR, Payroll, Finance/AP/AR) (EDAEALAA)

Keywords

• Educational cooperative services
• Shared educational programs
• Career technical education
• Special education services
• Cooperative purchasing

Headquarters

HQ city

Watertown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. BOCES Aid from State: School districts receive funds from the state, called BOCES aid, for the shared services purchased the previous year. The aid is distributed directly to individual districts based on a state-approved formula. BOCES do not receive Foundation Aid or direct formula aid directly from the state.
2. Component District Funding: BOCES rely almost entirely on their component school districts for funding. Districts purchase services through formal contracts. BOCES begin each year with a $0 balance and are limited on how they can reserve funds by law.
3. Cooperative Bidding and Shared Services: BOCES organize cooperative bids for districts to purchase apparatus, materials, equipment and supplies, achieving cost savings through economies of scale. These piggyback contracts follow rigorous transparent procurement requirements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services) is a New York State public education organization that delivers shared educational programs and services to school districts through a network of 37 regional BOCES. Core offerings include Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, Special Education services, Adult Education (ESL and HSE), Regional Information Centers providing technology services, Early College/Dual Enrollment programs, and cooperative shared services such as cooperative bidding, health benefits consortiums, and transportation.

Product overview

BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Educational Services) of New York State is a network of 37 regional educational service organizations that provide shared educational programs and services to school districts statewide. The organization operates as a federation of regional BOCES rather than a single unified product. Core offerings include Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, Special Education services, Adult Education (including ESL and HSE programs), and Early College/Dual Enrollment programs. Supporting services include Regional Information Centers (RICs) providing technology integration, Non-Instructional Support Services (cooperative purchasing, transportation, energy cooperatives), Professional Development, Health Benefits Consortium, and the DEI Repository resource platform. The organization focuses on cost-effective collaboration between school districts rather than selling a proprietary technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Regional Information Centers (RICs): Technology services, data analysis, administrative systems support, and technical assistance for school districts organized under BOCES

Products and services

• Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs

Quantifiable outcome

• BOCES save school districts more than $20 million annually through cooperative purchasing agreements and shared services
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• New York State Education Department (NYSED)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOCES of NYS partnered with NYSED and Tangible Development to create a statewide repository of resources supporting diversity, equity and inclusion in New York schools. NYSED leads the initiative while BOCES serves as implementation partner.
• Tangible DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDEI consulting firm headquartered in Latham, NY, partnered with NYSED and BOCES of NYS to develop the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Resource Repository. Tangible Development oversees the review process for submitted resources and provides consulting services.
• TEACH NYcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBOCES of NYS collaborates with TEACH NY, State Education Dept. and Dept. of Labor to address workforce challenges. BOCES launched a Teacher Ambassador program to help equip current classroom teachers with tools to support career exploration in the education field.
• New York State Department of LaborcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with BOCES of NYS and TEACH NY on the Teacher Ambassador program and other workforce development initiatives to elevate the teaching profession in New York.
• Colleges and Universities (1,845 articulation agreements)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner1,845 colleges and universities have joined articulation agreements with BOCES CTE programs, allowing students to earn college credits while in high school. This partnership creates clear pathways from high school to higher education.
• Businesses (4,596 on CTE advisory councils)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner4,596 businesses are on BOCES CTE advisory councils and/or consultant/trade committees. These businesses provide input on CTE curriculum, offer internships, and help prepare students for workforce needs in various industries.
• Conference of Big 5 School DistrictsminorOthersWhile the Big Five city school districts (NYC, Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Yonkers) operate outside the BOCES system, BOCES collaborate with many of these districts to serve students.

Scale indicators29 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Questar III BOCES: Regional BOCES serving Rensselaer, Columbia, and Greene counties. Comparable on district-funded shared service contracts, RIC technology delivery, and adult/CTE programming.
• Monroe 1 BOCES: Monroe County regional BOCES serving K-12 districts with CTE, special education, and RIC technology offerings. Operates under the same cooperative service model as BOCES of NYS.
• Eastern Suffolk BOCES: Long Island BOCES providing career and technical education, special education, and adult education. Direct peer under the same BOCES statute with a similar service portfolio.
• Capital Region BOCES: Albany-area BOCES providing CTE, special education, and RIC technology services. Operates under the same NY Education Law 1950 framework and offers an identical mix of cooperative services.
• Erie 2-Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES: One of the 37 constituent BOCES under BOCES of NYS, delivering CTE, special education, and shared services in western New York. Directly comparable on cooperative service model, governance structure, and product mix.

Broad incumbents

• NYSED (New York State Education Department): State-level education authority that oversees BOCES under Education Law 1950 and approves cooperative service agreements. Comparable as the regulator and a strategic partner in DEI repository and teacher pipeline initiatives.
• New York City Department of Education: The largest K-12 district in NY State and one of the Big Five cities excluded from BOCES. Operates its own shared-service and CTE infrastructure at massive scale, competing indirectly for state funding and political attention.
• Rochester City School District (Big 5): One of the Big Five city districts that fall outside BOCES of NYS. Comparable as a K-12 service provider in the same region but operates independently and offers overlapping CTE/special education services in-house.

Others

• Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO): National association of state education chiefs. Comparable as an enabling/coordinating body that influences how cooperative educational service agencies (the BOCES equivalent in other states) are structured and funded.

Regional players

• Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education (Nova Scotia): Canadian regional education service agency model closely analogous to NY's BOCES, delivering shared services across member schools in a defined geographic region. Comparable as a non-US regional peer operating under a cooperative education mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/BOCESofNYS
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boces-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles37 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BOCES