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← BOCES · Families · Find your BOCES

BOCES for students

BOCES can give you hands-on career classes, college-style programs, summer courses and a path to a diploma for adults. Your home school counselor is your door in.

What sounds like you?

Tap one. You will see which BOCES programs to ask about.

Pick an interest above.

Career and technical education (CTE)

Most BOCES run career and technical centers for high school students. You usually spend half the school day at the BOCES center and the other half at your own high school.

What you do

  • Learn a trade or career in real shops, labs, kitchens or clinics.
  • Earn high school credit.
  • Prepare for industry certification exams in many programs.

Good to know

  • Programs often take two years (grades 11 and 12).
  • Rides are usually arranged by your district. Ask.
  • Some programs ask you to buy work clothes or tools.

Long Island career and technical centers

Names and details below come from each BOCES's own website. Times and programs change each year, so check the official page.

Wilson Tech · Western Suffolk BOCES

Western Suffolk
  • "The career and technical education division of Western Suffolk BOCES."
  • Campuses: Dix Hills, Huntington, Republic Airport (Farmingdale) and Northport.
  • For students entering 11th and 12th grade.
  • 2025-26 counselor handbook: AM session 7:55 to 10:40 a.m.; PM session 11:40 a.m. to 2:25 p.m.
  • The handbook says transportation is provided for all students, and certification exam fees are included in the tech tuition.
wilsontech.org

Eastern Suffolk BOCES technical centers

Eastern Suffolk
  • Three centers: Bixhorn Tech, Milliken Tech and Ward Tech.
  • Milliken Tech says participating districts provide transportation to the center.
  • Applications: see "How to Apply" on the Academy site.
academyli.org

Barry Tech and GC Tech · Nassau BOCES

Nassau
  • Barry Tech (Joseph M. Barry Career & Technical Education Center) in Westbury; GC Tech in Levittown.
  • Barry Tech: students attend half a day; morning 7:50 to 10:20, afternoon 11:50 a.m. to 2:20 p.m.
  • "Students and their families do not pay tuition." Some courses need equipment, work clothes or materials.
  • Two years can earn credit toward fourth-year English, plus a program certificate.
barrytech.nassauboces.org

Long Island High School for the Arts · Nassau BOCES

Nassau
  • An arts high school program run by Nassau BOCES in Syosset.
  • Ask your counselor how your district handles applications and auditions.
nassauboces.org CTE

New Visions (college-style senior year)

Several BOCES offer New Visions: a one-year, honors-level program for motivated seniors held at real workplaces such as local businesses. Capital Region BOCES, for example, describes a program that "turns area businesses into classrooms," with classes daily from 8 to 11:30 a.m.

Ask: "Does our BOCES offer New Visions, in which fields, and does it count for English 12 or social studies credit?"

Other BOCES programs for students

Adults: diploma, English and career training

BOCES adult education programs serve people who have left high school. Eastern Suffolk BOCES Adult Education, for example, lists High School Equivalency (GED) classes, English as a Second Language, the Eastern Suffolk School of Practical Nursing, cosmetology and many career courses.

The New York State High School Equivalency (HSE) diploma

  • NYSED says every applicant "must take and pass at least one GED subject test" to earn a NYS HSE diploma.
  • The Regents pathway lets you use passing Regents exam scores from high school in place of matching GED subject tests.
  • Age rules apply. Read NYSED's eligibility page or ask a BOCES adult education office.

NYSED: HSE eligibility

Industry credentials

Many CTE programs prepare you for a certification exam. Wilson Tech's handbook gives examples by program, such as the Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) Student Certification for automotive students. Ask each program: "Which certification exam can I take, and when?"

How to apply

  1. Talk to your school counselor in 9th or 10th grade. Barry Tech tells families to contact their district guidance counselor, and Wilson Tech's application has a home school counselor signature line.
  2. Visit. Ask about open houses or a tour of the center.
  3. Pick a program and a backup choice.
  4. Fill out the application with your counselor and a parent or guardian.
  5. Plan your schedule. Make sure your required high school classes still fit.
  6. Ask about rides and any supplies you need to buy.

A day with a half-day program

Example with made-up details

An 11th grader in a morning tech session

  • 7:15Bus from the home high school to the tech center
  • 7:55 – 10:40Automotive shop: brakes lesson, then hands-on practice
  • 10:45Bus back to the home high school
  • 11:30Lunch with friends
  • 12:00English 11
  • 12:50U.S. History
  • 1:40Algebra II
  • 2:30Clubs or sports

This schedule is made up. Real bell times and bus times come from your district and BOCES center.

Sources

Programs, times and rules change every year. If this page and an official page disagree, the official page wins.