Bonacic Bill To Create Technology-based Education Opportunities Passes Senate

State Senator John J. Bonacic (R/I/C - Mount Hope) announced today that his legislation, Senate bill 669, which if enacted, would create the Hudson School of Math, Science, and Engineering Regional Technology Institute, was approved by the Senate for the third year in a row. 

"We need a regional effort to ensure our children are not left behind, and that leading educational opportunities such as this are brought to their doorstep," Bonacic said. "I am grateful for the support of my Senate colleagues."

Senator Bill Larkin said, "The vision for a Hudson Valley School of Math, Science and Engineering remains a top priority because of the exciting potential we would have to develop new talent in these fields. This type of academic institution, with unlimited scholastic challenges and opportunities, will help shape leaders for the future of New York. The fact that this bill has passed the Senate for the past three years reinforces our support for this goal. Senator Bonacic and I will continue to encourage the Assembly to embrace this plan so that we can stop talking about it and actually put shovels in the ground."

Senator Bonacic said that in November of 2005, the Governor signed into law the Tech Valley High School Act (Senate bill 5729) a joint collaboration between two Boards of Cooperative Services (BOCES) serving the greater Albany region. In our region, two area BOCES, SUNY New Paltz, and over four dozen area business leaders have endorsed this plan.

As in the case of the Albany region's Tech Valley High School, partnerships will be developed with our region’s BOCES organizations and existing technology based businesses to integrate local technology into the classroom; the school will be treated as a regional institute rather than a freestanding high school and provisions comparable to other State Education Department approved programs for accountability, voter participation and fiscal oversight are included in the Bonacic bill.

Ulster BOCES District Superintendent Martin Ruglis stated, "The goal of the school is to offer an opportunity to high school students to experience Math, Science, and Technology in a new and exciting way through a project-based, hands-on, integrated thematic curriculum environment. Our focus is to increase the numbers of students who will seek further education and or careers in the high tech fields. Senator Bonacic’s leadership and commitment to creating new opportunities for students is laudable."

"I envision a school that will be open to students of diverse talents who want to focus their talents in the areas of science, math, and engineering and believe that all students of our region deserve an opportunity to nurture those talents and energies in those areas," Senator Bonacic said.

Senator Bonacic concluded, "The Assembly needs to stop stalling and take action on this crucial measure now, as it will greatly benefit the residents, businesses, and students of our region today and well into the future."