Colorado BOCES Association
BOCES exist to supply educational services to two or more school districts that alone cannot afford the service, or find it advantageous and cost-effective to cooperate with other districts. These services represent a financial commitment that is best met by several districts sharing costs and programs. In some instances, BOCES also operate as Special Education Administrative Units, in which Colorado Revised Statutes require a minimum number of students or participants in order to qualify.
BOCES in Colorado
School Districts Served
BOCES are an important and vital part of the public educational system in Colorado.
Colorado’s BOCES (or Educational Services agencies) are unique in that they are an extension of the local member school districts. A BOCES in Colorado exists at the discretion of its members and provides only those programs and services authorized by its members.
Colorado Educational
Associates and Partners
Our Mission
It is the mission of the Boards of Cooperative (Educational) Services (BOCES) to promote, lead, and support cooperative and collaborative efforts to maximize the educational opportunities of Colorado’s learners by serving as a voice for BOCES across Colorado, providing professional development opportunities, technical assistance, advocacy, research, and promotion of BOCES knowledge, products, and services.
The Colorado BOCES Association is made up of twenty-one (21) BOCES. The 21 BOCES are governed by an appointed board of locally elected school board members. The local BOCES also utilize a Superintendent’s Advisory Council to advise the BOCES staff and Board of Directors.
The Colorado BOCES Association, in alliance with the Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA), believes that educational service agencies (ESAs) provide leadership to help all students reach high standards of performance. BOCES provide high quality, cost-efficient regional services in Colorado. Therefore, the Colorado BOCES Association promotes and supports the following premises:
- BOCES are created by school districts and are closer to the districts and their schools than are State Education Agencies (SEAs), regional educational laboratories and universities.
- BOCES are best positioned to assist districts with professional development and technical assistance to support improved student achievement.
- The role of BOCES has been identified in state and federal law and recognized by the Colorado State Legislature, Colorado State Board of Education and the Colorado Department of Education as a Local Education Agency (LEA), thus BOCES can effectively carry out the regional leadership role in ensuring equity and access to programs and services for students in Colorado.
- BOCES must be eligible to receive funding from all federal and state education formulas and grants, with the support of their member districts, in order to carry out federal, state and local education initiatives.
- The Colorado BOCES Association believes that all students benefit from high quality academic and career/technical opportunities.