Provides funding to conduct studies on education in rural localities.

Federal Statute: Federal Regulation:

State Statute: State Regulation:

TELEPHONE: (518) 474-7965 FAX:

The School Bus Driver Safety Training Program was established during the 1970’s and 1980’s to provide a program to prepare school bus driver instructors (SBDI’s) and instructional materials for the training of school bus drivers in school bus safety practices.

The $400,000 in funding for the 1997-98 school year will enable us to redesign, update and administer a continuing program for SBDI's and school bus drivers. The components of the program will include, but not be limited to:

1. developing the curriculum, all training materials, and conducting the annual Professional Development Seminar (PDS)
2. updating the Basic Instruction and Advanced Instruction courses and manuals
3. developing and maintaining an accident database of all reported school bus accidents.
4. establishing a statewide instructor network, including development and dissemination of a bimonthly instructor's newsletter for the sharing of current information.

Federal Statute: Federal Regulation:

State Statute: State Regulation:

TELEPHONE: (518) 474-6541 FAX:

The School Health Demonstration Project is designed to expand and improve the delivery of health services and health education to school-age children attending Buffalo schools, with emphasis on lower socioeconomic youth who comprise a large proportion of the high-risk and underserved urban population. The project's collaborative, multi-agency approach to the provision of these services and its functional and reciprocal links with community-based health care providers represent essential features of the project structure. This demonstration emphasizes the interdependence of four basic components necessary for an effective school health program: (1) school health education, (2) school health services, (3) parental education and support, and (4) community support services. The program seeks to achieve the following goals:

1. to develop an integrated health education/health services program that is primarily preventive in nature and that attempts to modify, in a constructive fashion, the attitudes and health practices of students; and
2. to determine the health status of students, to arrange for the remediation of problems, and to assure an appropriate response to injury and sudden illness.

This program addresses the Department's goal of higher standards by preparing all children to come to school ready to learn, and encourages a strategy of collaboration between the schools and the health and social service agencies within the City of Buffalo.

Federal Statute: Federal Regulation:

State Statute: Education Law ' 804A
State Regulation: 8 NYCRR Part 143

TELEPHONE: (518) 486-6090 FAX:

School Breakfast Program: Chapter 537 of the Laws of 1976 mandated that Breakfast Programs be instituted in all public schools in the City School Districts of Buffalo, New York City, Rochester, Syracuse and Yonkers.

Chapter 798 of the Laws of 1980 required funding levels of $.11 for each free breakfast, $.12 for each reduced price breakfast and $.25 for each full price breakfast. Chapter 53 of the Laws of 1988 raised the State subsidy an additional $.05 for each reduced price breakfast to $.17.

Chapter 798 of the Laws of 1980 also authorized the reimbursement of all approved costs associated with the federal School Breakfast Program to school districts during their first year of operation, payable in the following year ("full cost reimbursement").

Section 389 of Chapter 57 of the Laws of 1993 added a new subdivision c to section 1 of Chapter 537 of the Laws of 1976 to require school districts to establish a school breakfast program not later than September 1, 1993 in public elementary schools categorized as "severe need."

Chapters 614 and 615 of the Laws of 1993 further amended the provisions for mandated school breakfast programs by extending the requirements to all public "severe need" schools beginning September 1, 1994 and to all elementary schools that were in the National School Lunch Program on or after January 1, 1993 no later than September 1, 1995. Schools may obtain an annual exemption if they can document lack of need, economic hardship or other good cause.

National School Lunch Program: The Omnibus Reconciliation Act of 1981 (P.L. 97-35) changed the State Revenue Matching Requirement for the National School Lunch Program. For each school year, beginning with school year 1981-82, the State Revenue Matching Requirement is equal to 30 percent of all Federal Section 4 funds provided for reimbursement of lunches served to children in the school year 1980-81 unless the Section 4 funds in a succeeding year exceed the amounts paid in 1980-81.

Projections for the breakfast and lunch programs will vary from year-to-year based on when holidays fall. Both the days of the week of the holidays, and the fiscal year where Easter occurs, affect how schools allocate vacation time, which in turn impacts on days of service.

Federal Statute: National School Lunch Act
Federal Regulation: 7CFR 210,220,245

State Statute: Child Nutrition Act
State Regulation:

TELEPHONE: (518) 473-8781 FAX:

School-to-Work (STW) is a new approach to learning in America's schools that links students, schools and workplaces. Locally-driven and community-based, it is an effort to reform education that combines high-level academic achievement with a graduated understanding of the world of work. A new way of preparing young people for their ultimate entry into the workplace, STW also encourages schools at secondary and postsecondary levels to develop school-to-work systems cooperatively - together with employers, unions, civic groups, and other public and private sector organizations.

Funding is distributed through School-to-Work partnerships across the state. These partnerships must include labor unions, employers or business representatives, PIC's (Private Industry Council) or Service Delivery Area (SDA) representatives, school administrators, teachers, parents or parent organizations, students or student organizations and postsecondary institutions. Local partnerships may also invite other interested parties to join.

Federal Statute: P.L 103-239 of 1994
Federal Regulation:

State Statute: State Regulation:

TELEPHONE: (518) 474-3302 FAX:

The funds appropriated will be used to provide additional services to SURR schools. This will help to increase the opportunity for all students in such schools to meet New York State's content and performance standards.

Federal Statute: Federal Regulation:

State Statute: State Regulation:

TELEPHONE: (518) 473-0295; (718) 722-2634
FAX:

State Aid to Schools is described in the booklet: "State Formula Aids and Entitlements for Schools in New York State, 1997-98", which can be obtained by calling the State Aid office at the telephone number indicated below.

Federal Statute: Federal Regulation:

State Statute: varied
State Regulation: varied

TELEPHONE: (518) 474-2977 FAX:

In 1987-88, the Student Information System program was created to provide grants to the Big Five city school districts for planning, development and implementation of student information systems that will be compatible with each other, linked through the Internet and capable of supplying accurate information to the State Education Department. This program is designed to continue the implementation of an on-line, interactive, computer based student records management system for the Big Five city school districts. This system provides the capability for authorized personnel to access up-to-date information on student background, academic performance and history, attendance, medical history, course schedules, and eligibility for (or participation in) special programs as well as providing electronic mail and other network services.

State-level support for development and implementation of this student information system is based on the need to identify and support students performing poorly and thus at risk of dropping out so that the needs of these students can be addressed.

The Student Information System provides capability not only to meet requirements for local district central administration and the State Education Department, but also allows local educators in many school buildings to have access to computer technology for decision making. Key to the SIS system are building level and districtwide networks that link to the Internet. Among the benefits of SIS are a reduction in paperwork, more timely and accurate data, and the ability to keep track of students in a more efficient manner. A major portion of these funds are directed toward New York City, where over 900 of the nearly 1,000 buildings have implemented network connections and over 700 buildings have implemented the full student information system database.

In 1996-97 SIS continued to move toward full implementation in all of the Big Five Cities. At least one network connection is now in place in all school buildings in Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse, as well as in over 900 buildings in New York City. Through the online access to SIS provided in each building, many administrators and teachers can look at student records dealing with attendance, test history, medical, and instructional management data. Part of the second phase goal of SIS is to expand electronic access to all teachers and administrators in the school, as well as to allow student use to "piggyback" on the network connections being put in place. Furthermore, special education and Medicaid components are being added to SIS as it is implemented in New York City, Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse through separate funding. The information capabilities provided in SIS are critical to school accountability and support all aspects of New York's education reform agenda. Without current information about students and programs, it is impossible to effectively analyze school practices that foster excellence in teaching and learning. This system is critical to improving the New York State School Report Card and accountability system.

The SIS program has a local district, dollar-for-dollar, matching requirement for each of the Big Five.

Federal Statute: Federal Regulation:

State Statute: Education Law ' 3602(a)
State Regulation: 8 NYCRR Part 144.5

TELEPHONE: (518) 474-7965 FAX:

Teacher Resource and Computer Training Centers were established by the New York State Legislature in 1984 to provide systematic, ongoing professional education services to the State's teachers. The initial appropriation of $3.5 million established 44 Teacher Centers throughout the State. The 1996-97 allocation of $15 million supported 199 Centers, which serve some 660 public school districts and BOCES, as well as hundreds of non-public schools across all regions of the State. More than 220,000 educators have access to Teacher Center services. The benefits they derive are passed on in the form of improved education for some 2,500,000 students across New York State.

Teacher Centers are unique in their approach to providing professional development, since they are governed by a policy board which is, by law, composed of at least 51% teachers. Each Center provides services to its constituents based on locally determined needs.

Federal Statute: Federal Regulation:

State Statute: Education Law, §316
State Regulation: 8 NYCRR Part 81

TELEPHONE: (518) 473-1234 FAX:

The Technology Literacy Challenge Fund is a new federal program to help stimulate local, State, and private sector partnerships focused on fully integrating technology into teaching and learning to help ensure that all students are technologically literate by the beginning of the 21st century. This program will be administered under Subpart 2 of Part A of Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

The program is designed to advance the President's four goals for technology in education:

• All teachers will have the training and support they need to help all students learn through computers and through the information superhighway;
• All teachers and students will have modern computers in their classrooms;
• Every classroom will be connected to the information superhighway; and
• Effective and engaging software and online resources will be an integral part of every school curriculum.

Under this program, the Department will make competitive grants to local education agencies (LEAs) or consortia of LEAs and other partners.

Federal Statute: Title III of ESEA
Federal Regulation:

State Statute: State Regulation:

TELEPHONE: (518) 473-4698 FAX: