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, is gaining approval through the legislative process. The measure was approved by the Senate Education Committee, as well as the Senate Finance Committee and is now before the full Senate for a vote. "This bill could be voted on as soon as next week," stated Senator Bonacic.
"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.
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. Under that law, two BOCES districts will collaborate to establish a regional school that will focus on technology.
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."
"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. "We look forward to seeing this legislation become law, as it will greatly benefit the residents, businesses, and students of our region today and well into the future."
