Relates to BOCES contracts with certain schools

2 Co-sponsors

• RoAnn Destito
• Ellen C. Jaffee

BILL NUMBER:A8886

Title of bill

An act to amend the education law and the general munic- ipal law, in relation to BOCES contracts with certain schools

Purpose or general idea of bill

This bill would allow schools for students with disabilities of school to participate in sharing or coop- erative agreements with BOCES to procure goods and services and thereby lower the schools' costs.

Summary of specific provisions

Section 1 authorizes BOCES to enter into contracts with schools for students with disabilities of school age approved pursuant to Education law §4401 for procurement of goods and services. Section 2 includes schools for students with disabilities of school age as a municipal corporation solely for the purpose of partic- ipation in a sharing agreement for procurement of goods and services. Section 3 makes the act effective immediately.

Justification

This bill allows schools for students with disabilities of school age to contract with BOCES for procurement of goods and mate- rials through sharing or cooperative purchasing agreements. If these schools can participate in such agreements, they can reduce their costs for such commodities, services and products as fuel, electricity, dura- ble goods and transportation.

Special education schools were established by Chapter 853 of the Laws of 1976 to educate the state's most severely disabled students. There are about 120 such special education schools throughout the state. The current funding system does not provide them with an adequate level of support. Without new funds, cost control becomes critical.

This bill will help the schools reduce their costs and manage their budgets without cutting programs and services to students. It gives to the schools the tools for cost management. Cooperative purchasing agree- ments or sharing agreements leverage purchasing power and reduce prices and costs. This bill will allow special education schools to identify partners for procurement including BOCES, school districts and other municipal entities and join with them to purchase goods and services. This bill will give special education schools a proven mechanism to negotiate the best prices, limit costs and operate within already limit- ed budgets.

Prior legislative history

New bill.

Fiscal implications

None

Effective date

Immediately.