Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Cte topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Questar/BOCES outlines graduation reforms, regionalization and CTE expansions to Taconic Hills board
Summary
BOCES presenter detailed NYSED 'transformations'—a portrait of a graduate, proficiency-based credits, decoupling Regents from diplomas, and a single diploma with seals—while urging regional collaboration and showcasing expanded CTE programs and student successes.
Jimmy Eiermeyer, who said he oversees academic programs for Questar BOCES, told the Taconic Hills Central School District board that New York State’s rollout of four so-called transformations will change how districts award credit and document graduation.
“Instead of credit being based on the amount of time that you've spent in a room, credit will be granted for proving proficiency,” Eiermeyer said, summarizing the shift away from Carnegie-seat-time credits. He added the state is moving toward one diploma with a series of seals and is decoupling Regents exams from the diploma requirement.
Why it matters: Eiermeyer and other presenters said the reforms create both new opportunities and planning needs for local districts. He outlined a phased timeline for cohorts and encouraged districts to begin developing a local “portrait of a graduate” and preparatory work now rather than waiting for state deadlines.
BOCES staff framed regionalization not as consolidation but as voluntary collaboration to sustain programming amid declining enrollment and fiscal pressures. A presenter described the approach as “about collaborating, sharing services and paying resources,” and said a strengths-and-needs tool was adjusted to a Dec. 6 deadline with an interim progress report due in April 2025.
The meeting also served as a showcase for career and technical education (CTE) program growth. Eiermeyer and colleagues described new or expanded offerings including a fire science program (first of its kind in the regional BOCES), electrical trades at Gibson, expanded cosmetology sections at Cline (doubling seats to 40), and multiple heavy‑equipment program sites. Presenters said each CTE program has at least one college articulation agreement and that technical assessment participation and pass rates are “extraordinarily high,” with pass rates reported above 90%.
Students who attend the programs spoke directly to the board. Mahalia Ingram described her EMT coursework and hands‑on stations used to teach skills such as assembling oxygen tanks. Heavy‑equipment student David Garn described work on local job sites, OSHA training and plans to pursue a CDL license. “It’s my favorite thing I’ve ever done in school,” Garn told the board.
Presenters also discussed recruitment and access: outreach events for counselors and families, radio and online advertising, and experimentation with hybrid or asynchronous New Visions courses (including a proposed asynchronous law/paralegal track) aimed at reducing transportation burdens and allowing more students—particularly those who cannot spare a half‑day block—to participate.
What the board asked for: Trustees asked about enrollment in STEM and New Visions programs and about mechanisms for bringing Bard, Columbia Green Community College and other partners into easier alignment for transportation and tuition support. Staff said grants currently cover tuition and books for many students, and that the district and BOCES are exploring ways to expand eligible student slots.
Next steps: Presenters urged districts to use the state’s tools and regional committees to develop proposals ahead of the state timeline and to contact Questar staff for assistance completing the strengths‑and‑needs tool.
