By Lily C. Talcott, District Superintendent and CEO, Tompkins-Seneca-Tioga BOCES
As we close out another school year, I find myself reflecting on just how extraordinary this year has been for young people across the TST BOCES region.
When we launched our Blueprint for Excellence, we committed to more than creating a strategic plan. We committed to creating a roadmap for action, a living document that would help us better serve students, strengthen partnerships, and expand opportunities across Tompkins, Seneca, and Tioga counties.
One year into implementation, I am proud to share that approximately 85% of the Blueprint action items scheduled for this year have either been completed or remain active within their planned implementation window. This is due to the hard work of our colleagues at TST and throughout the region. More importantly, the work is making a difference.
Across our four priority areas, we have made significant progress:
Regionalization
Established and convened regional conversations around transportation and student access to programs, with a signed intermunicipal transportation agreement among all 10 districts.
Developed inventories and catalogs of regional opportunities available to students.
Increased collaboration among superintendents, instructional leaders, counselors, and boards of education.
Advanced regional communication efforts to better tell the story of shared services and student opportunities.
Continued collaboration with NYSED around barriers that limit innovation and regional collaboration.
Expanded planning for shared programming and resource utilization across districts.
NYS Inspires
Supported districts - including here at TST BOCES - in understanding and preparing for the implementation of NY Inspires, with the Culturally Responsive-Sustaining Framework at the center.
Elevated student voice through regional conversations and planning structures including Student Ex Officio Board Member events and training.
Continued the development of student pathway planning and exploration opportunities.
Continued to build regional understanding of standards-based grading, graduation pathways, and future-ready learning experiences.
Developed structures to support innovation, flexibility, and student-centered learning.
Began aligning regional work to help students discover their passions and prepare for success beyond graduation.
Inclusive Special Education
Opened a BOCES-run Foundations classroom at Lansing Central School District.
Expanded access to career preparation opportunities for students with disabilities.
Conducted inventories of special education programs and services across the region.
Identified unmet student needs through district surveys and ongoing collaboration.
Increased transparency around available programs, services, and openings.
Strengthened collaboration among special education leaders, CSE chairs, administrators, and instructional staff.
Expanded inclusion-focused professional learning
Equity and Leadership
Continued identifying and addressing barriers that limit student participation and access.
Increased communication about regional opportunities available to students and families.
Developed more transparent information regarding programs, pathways, prerequisites, and available seats.
Elevated diverse perspectives and stakeholder voices in planning and decision-making processes.
Expanded opportunities for collaboration among educators and leaders across districts.
Continued focusing on equitable access to high-quality learning experiences for all students.
While I am proud of our progress, I am equally aware that we still have important work ahead. Strategic plans are not checklists to complete. They are commitments to continuous improvement. As we learn, grow, and listen to our students, families, staff, and communities, our work evolves.
Progress is not always linear. Sometimes growth requires us to revisit assumptions, adjust course, and respond to emerging needs.
The good news is that we are building the systems, relationships, and habits necessary to do exactly that.
Looking ahead, our focus will continue to learn and grow together as we hope to co-create inclusive, culturally responsive pathways that allow every student to access meaningful opportunities throughout our region. We will continue expanding access, strengthening partnerships, elevating student voice, and ensuring that all young people, regardless of background, ability, geography, or circumstance, can discover their passions and pursue a future filled with possibility.
Thank you to our amazing colleagues here at TST BOCES and throughout the region, to our Board of Education, and to our students, families, and community partners for your commitment to this work. The progress we are seeing today is the result of thousands of collective efforts made on behalf of the 10,877 young people we serve.
Together, we are connecting minds, inspiring growth, and building a stronger future for every learner in our region.