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Area 1 BOCES outlines expansion plan for special-education campus, seeks approvals and regional cooperation
Summary
Area 1 BOCES leaders told the West Seneca board on March 4 they plan to create a centralized, research-designed special-education campus that could add up to 80 seats and include therapy, life-skills and work-based learning spaces.
CHEEKTOWAGA / WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Representatives from Area 1 BOCES presented a regional update to the West Seneca board on March 4, outlining cooperative services, aid mechanics and a proposed centralized special-education campus designed to add capacity and support work-based learning and therapy spaces.
Dr. Capuana, Area 1 BOCES district superintendent, introduced the BOCES leadership team and described the cooperative model the organization uses to provide shared services across 19 component districts. Anita Trautman, who oversees career and technical education and exceptional education at Area 1, described program locations and noted workforce-development and career-technical programming for roughly 2,500 students across Erie County.
Trautman said BOCES aid is expense-driven and tied to district purchases; the presentation noted a 2023–24 aid allocation figure for the district’s report year (stated in the presentation as approximately $5,000,160). Technical staff reiterated that many back-office and technology services — payroll, data warehousing, cybersecurity, special-education services and other supports — are delivered through the BOCES cooperative to leverage economies of scale.
On special-education expansion, BOCES officials said they have identified a preferred single-story site and are finalizing lease negotiations with a developer and working with architects and the local town authority on approvals. The plan, as presented, would increase capacity from roughly 514 students to as many as 694 (an increase of up to about 80 students) and would include specially designed spaces: research-based learning labs, scaled dining and cafe spaces, sensory/calming rooms and speech/occupational/physical therapy spaces. The project team said the facility footprint allows room for growth and includes courtyards and natural lighting to support student needs.
BOCES staff described contracting with construction consultants and said they plan to seek town approvals so construction can begin; the presentation said the intent is to have the building open "by February or thereabouts," with no year specified in the presentation.
The BOCES team also summarized work on regionalization: a strength-and-needs assessment completed for all 19 districts, ongoing convenings of district leadership and the state’s request for an interim progress report due in April and a full regionalization plan to the commissioner in October. BOCES officials emphasized that district participation in any regionalization actions is optional and that the planning process is intended to identify collaborative opportunities that reflect Western New York needs.
Ending: Board members thanked the BOCES team and noted the local impact of increasing special-education capacity. West Seneca officials said they look forward to continued partnership as the BOCES project proceeds through lease, town approvals and design.
