Business Services

Dutchess BOCES offers a series of cooperative business service programs that are designed to provide cost savings, improved service delivery and increase efficiency through shared services among the component districts.

Business Office Blog

This blog will be used to provide Dutchess BOCES employees with answers to frequently asked questions, links to frequently requested documents, and important & “late-breaking” news from the staff of the Business Office.

Cooperative Bidding

Under this program, BOCES, in consultation with the Cooperative Bidding Committee, develops detailed specifications and conducts competitive bidding for various commodities, supplies, equipment and services to meet its own needs and those of participating local school districts. Cost savings are achieved through price discounts that are obtained from vendors as a result of increased quantities and an increase in efficiency, since duplication of effort is reduced. With the more cost-effective development of complex, detailed specifications, where outside consultant help is needed, the costs of such expenses can be included in the service. Thus, the expense of specification development on a project-by-project basis is eliminated.

Employee Assistance Program

This program provides a participating district’s employees and their families assistance in resolving personal problems that impair job performance. These problems range from alcoholism and substance abuse to family/marital and financial/legal difficulties. The BOCES employs a social worker/counselor who provides specific assistance to employees and members of their immediate families. Employees are eligible to receive several sessions at no cost. Additional service may be rendered by referral to other agencies. This service is eligible for BOCES aid.

Employee Benefits Coordination • 
Dutchess Educational Health Insurance Consortium [DEHIC]

The Dutchess County Schools Worker’s Compensation Self-Insured Program trustees established this service to coordinate a variety of activities for the program. Part-time office support is provided to audit claims, assist the Board of Trustees with program-related activities, follow up on inquiries from employees, maintain cooperative financial records, analyze claims information and process paperwork involved with the worker’s compensation program. Member districts of the program participate in this service.

School District Staff Contract Analysis

Under this CO-SER, the BOCES collects and analyzes employee contract and school district expenditure-related data for Dutchess County school districts. The Contract Analysis Report provides information on general provisions, salary schedules, fringe benefits and leaves. It also covers district staffing, student populations, tax rates, valuation, district wealth as well as expenditures per pupil. The Fact Sheet Report provides comparative financial data covering a period of at least five fiscal years. Currently this service is being provided through the administrative budget.

Substitute Calling Service

This service provides participating districts with automated substitute calling. Each district supplies the service with lists of staff and approved substitutes. The service generates reports on where and when the substitutes worked on a daily basis. This program can produce other reports such as statistics on substitute/employee activity on a monthly basis.

Telecommunications/E-rate Consortium

This service is the umbrella CO-SER that covers line charges and the management of such telecommunications services as Intellipath [four-digit dialing between school buildings], T-1 and high speed data transmission [broadband] for the Dutchess BOCES Wide Area Network [WAN].

Dutchess BOCES coordinates E-rate reimbursement filing for school districts. BOCES files applications with the Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company for E-Rate discounts for eligible telecommunications services. The discounts are based on student population for grades K-12 and the percentage of students eligible for the National School Lunch Program. Program participants receive discounts on expenditures for various telecommunications services. Services provided include program integrity audit reviews and the filing of forms 470, 471, 472 and 486.