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BOCES for families

BOCES works for your school district. Your district decides which BOCES services your child uses, so your first call is almost always to your own school.

General information, not legal advice. Rules for special education, English learners and transportation are set by law and by your district. Check with your district, your BOCES or NYSED.

Special education through BOCES

BOCES run special education schools and classes, and send specialists into district schools. Eastern Suffolk BOCES, for example, lists related and itinerant services such as hearing, vision, occupational and physical therapy, assistive technology and bilingual services.

1 · Ask
If you think your child may have a disability, write to your district's special education office and ask for an evaluation.
2 · CSE meeting
Your district's Committee on Special Education (CSE) reviews the evaluations with you.
3 · IEP
The CSE writes an Individualized Education Program (IEP). It names the services and the place your child learns.
4 · Placement
Western Suffolk BOCES says children are placed in its programs "at the direction of the local school district's Committee on Special Education."

Families do not usually apply to BOCES special education directly. The CSE decides with you.

English learners and bilingual help

NYSED funds eight Regional Bilingual Education Resource Networks (RBERNs). They train and support schools that serve English Language Learners.

RBERN	Host
Long Island RBERN	Eastern Suffolk BOCES (longislandrbern.org)
New York City RBERN	Fordham University
Hudson Valley RBERN	Southern Westchester BOCES
Capital District RBERN	Questar III BOCES
Mid-State RBERN	OCM BOCES
Mid-West RBERN	Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES
West Region RBERN	Erie 1 BOCES
Statewide Language RBERN	NYU Metro Center

RBERNs mostly help schools. For your own child, start with the school's ENL teacher. Eastern Suffolk BOCES also lists ENL/Bilingual programs, a Family Education Outreach Program and a Migrant Education Outreach Program.

What does it cost a family?

Special education

Federal law (IDEA) defines a free appropriate public education as special education and related services "provided at public expense, under public supervision and direction, and without charge," following the IEP. Ask your district how this applies to a BOCES placement.

Career and technical programs

Nassau BOCES says at Barry Tech "Students and their families do not pay tuition," but some courses need equipment, work clothes or materials. Ask each program for its supply list.

Example with made-up numbers

Planning for program supplies

A program's list asks for work boots ($60), safety glasses ($12) and a uniform shirt ($25). The family saves a little each month from May to August (4 months).

Total: 60 + 12 + 25 = $97 Per month: 97 ÷ 4 = $24.25

These prices are made up. Ask the program if help is available for supplies.

Rides to BOCES programs

Rides usually depend on your home district. Two Long Island examples: Wilson Tech's handbook says transportation is provided for all students, and Milliken Tech says participating districts provide transportation to the center. Questions to ask:

Who runs the bus, and where is the pickup?
What happens on days my district is closed but BOCES is open (or the other way)?
Who do I call if the bus is late?
Can my teen drive? (Milliken Tech says high school students may drive only with an approved pass.)

Where parents can get help

Your district: special education office, ENL office, school counselor.
Your BOCES: program office or admissions. Find it in the directory.
OSE Educational Partnership: NYSED's network supporting students with disabilities from early childhood to life after school. osepartnership.org
NYSED Office of Special Education: parent resources and regional offices. Parent Resources
Data privacy: NYSED says each educational agency, including BOCES, "must publish a parent’s bill of rights on its website" and appoint a Data Protection Officer. Parents can file complaints about possible breaches (for example, see Eastern Suffolk BOCES).
NYS PTA: parent advocacy and local PTAs. nyspta.org

How to ask (copy and paste)

Write to your child's school counselor or special education office. Copy this note and fill in the blanks. Nothing you type here is saved or sent.

Hello, I would like to learn which BOCES programs are open to my child, [grade] at [school]. 1. Which BOCES programs does our district use for students like my child? 2. How do students apply, and what is the deadline? 3. Is there any cost to our family (tuition, supplies, fees)? 4. How does transportation work? 5. How do BOCES classes fit with required high school classes? Thank you, [your name]

My checklist

I found our BOCES in the directory.
I asked the counselor about programs and deadlines.
We visited or joined an open house.
I asked about costs and supplies.
I asked about the bus.

Checkmarks stay only on this device.

Sources

If this page and an official page disagree, the official page wins.

Western Suffolk BOCES Special Education (placement by the district CSE): wsboces.org special education (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Eastern Suffolk BOCES Special Education (schools, related and itinerant services): esboces.org special education (checked Nov 8, 2026)
NYSED, Regional Support/RBERNs (eight RBERNs and hosts): nysed.gov/bilingual-ed/regional-supportrberns (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Eastern Suffolk BOCES programs (ENL/Bilingual, L.I. RBERN, Family Education Outreach, Migrant Education Outreach, Parents' Bill of Rights): esboces.org/programs-services (checked Nov 8, 2026)
34 CFR §300.17, Free appropriate public education: sites.ed.gov/idea/regs/b/a/300.17 (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech, About (tuition, supplies): barrytech.nassauboces.org/about-us (checked Nov 8, 2026)
Wilson Tech Counselor Handbook 2025-26 (transportation): wilsontech.org handbook (PDF); Milliken Tech (transportation, driving): academyli.org (checked Nov 8, 2026)
NYSED Special Education, Parent Resources (OSE Educational Partnership): nysed.gov/special-education/parent-resources (checked Nov 8, 2026)
NYSED, Education Law 2-d fact sheet for parents: fact-sheet-for-parents.pdf (checked Nov 8, 2026)
NYS PTA: nyspta.org (checked Nov 8, 2026)