Then:

In 1955, school board members from several eastside Monroe County school districts petitioned the State Education Department for the creation of a Board of Cooperative Services to serve their area. The original intent of the BOCES was to provide itinerant teachers, school nurses, attendance supervisors, dental hygienists, vocational agriculture and vocational homemaking teachers, guidance counselors, art, music, and physical education teachers on a share basis. On January 5, 1956, Monroe #1 BOCES was initiated and chartered by its ten component school districts.

On July 1, 1956, BOCES began operations. Initially, BOCES was simply a collection of administrative offices. The first Superintendent, Mr. Lester B. Foreman, was hired to supervise a staff that included a psychologist, a speech teacher, and a small contingent of bus drivers who provided special transportation for students with disabilities. By 1960, BOCES had begun to provide special education teachers to the districts and was leasing space in the districts to support those students.

In 1966, Monroe One BOCES began to centralize specifically to support occupational education programs, and for the first time leased space on the central campus in Fairport, now known as the Lester B. Foreman Center. The creation of Special Education programs followed during the 1970’s.

Now:

In 2018, Monroe One BOCES continues to deliver innovative educational enrichment programs, from the arts to technology, to help students reach beyond classroom walls. What began as a staff of seven professionals has now swelled in excess of 1800 employees. Resources are combined, when and where needed, to provide creative solutions that help students stay in school and ultimately achieve success, supporting Monroe One’s belief that every student can succeed. BOCES helps students of diverse backgrounds and abilities discover their learning potential in an environment that benefits all students.

Our programs and services meet the diverse needs of general education students, special needs students with disabilities, and at-risk students by providing valuable hands-on learning opportunities that students might not experience otherwise; such as:

• career and technical training,
• workforce preparation and work internships, and
• a network of services for transitioning to the workforce.

From Kindergarten to adult students, Monroe One BOCES provides support for thousands of individuals to help them achieve success and improve the quality of their lives. The strength of BOCES lies in the ability to cooperatively provide support to students who need help meeting the learning standards, students preparing for college and careers, and adults in the community who are improving their skills.

Today, Monroe One BOCES is one of 37 Boards of Cooperative Educational Services operating throughout New York State, coordinating more than 80 programs and services for more than 46,000 students in our ten component school districts, and also serving 134 school districts from 12 neighboring counties in western New York.

Along with the evolution of the service delivery model, Monroe One has also undergone a number of name changes throughout its history to rebrand itself. Regardless of name, Monroe One has always maintained a strong commitment to the Mission:

The Monroe One Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES), in partnership with our component school districts, exists to educate and provide services which support education for individuals, children through adults, in the BOCES community in order to provide them the opportunity to reach their fullest potential. BOCES will do this in a caring and cost effective manner.