The Capital Region BOCES Communications Service has been in existence since June 1988. We were one of the first BOCES in New York State to establish such a service, and today we are the largest.

Currently, we serve 35 school districts in nine counties. We also provide services to two BOCES (Capital Region and Hamilton-Fulton-Montgomery), as well as the New York State Education Department. We have a staff of 38 people, including: 29 communication specialists, four graphic designers, two print management coordinators, one Web development specialist, a program manager and a secretary. Our 2005-06 budget totals $2.2 million.

The idea behind our service was to establish a team of professionals who, together, could provide schools with a wealth of communication expertise that they could never afford on their own.

Most of our communications specialists work out of offices based in the school districts they serve.  Our staff works closely with school district leaders to:

• improve student achievement through effective communication;

• increase parent involvement; and

• provide greater public accountability -- which, in turn, helps to build long-term community support for its schools.

Like every other service at BOCES, we exist to help our school districts improve the educational environment. In our case, we are working to develop good communication efforts that contribute to greater public understanding and support -- both of which are essential elements in creating a sound educational system. As a result, our task is much more complicated than that of the traditional public relations professional -- and far more important to the mission of our public schools and the students they serve!