Welcome to your place.
We're expanding! We are so excited and honored to announce the Instructional Services Expansion: a place for learning, a place for growth, a place for you.
Our Mission: To build a centralized, state-of-the-art campus, in partnership with our component districts, founded on research-based design, where students of all abilities can thrive in a community that instills pride and belonging.
The Challenge: What's Going On?Across Western New York, more students than ever require specialized, inclusive learning opportunities. Erie 1 BOCES operates across multiple outdated sites resulting limited capacity, fragmented services, and waiting lists of 100+ students at any given time.
The situation became critical in 2024 when Erie 1 BOCES learned three (3) of its leased schools need to be reclaimed by districts in 2027.
Without a permanent campus, 320 students and 280 staff would face uncertainty.
Additionally:
- Erie 1 BOCES has seen a 33% increase in the number of students being referred for special education services since 2019.
- 45 school districts annually refer students to Erie 1 BOCES for special education services, up from 29 in 2019.
- NYSED recently recognized that the rate of students classified with special needs has increased by 14% in the last 10 years.
The Goals:
- Serve greater number of students with highly specialized needs in the areas of social, emotional, and behavioral health with development disabilities including autism.
- Consolidate three (3) K-12 schools into one (1) comprehensive campus.
- Serve an additional 150 students for a total of 500 students with unique needs.
- Retain 280 jobs.
- Create 50+ new positions, including: teachers, teacher aides, facilities (custodial, maintenance, skilled trade), clerical, therapists, and more.
- Open in September 2027.
Phase 1: Construction
September 2025 - September 2027
- Transform the site at 2911 Walden Avenue (Corner of Dick and Walden) in Depew through an adaptive reuse of the existing facility
- Increase the footprint from 179,000 sqft to 219,000 sqft
- Thank you to our 19 Component Districts for their $60 million commitment to construction
- Complete construction and open doors to students in September 2027.
Phase 2: Bringing the School to Life
Ongoing
An estimated $12m is needed for FF&E (Furniture, Fixtures & Equipment) to ensure the new campus is fully operational, and equipped, compliant, and capable of delivering the specialized services our students require and deserve. This includes:
- Specialized instructional equipment
- Technologies
- School safety features
- Sensory spaces
- Multi-use spaces for life skills development and vocational training
- Adaptive playground and play spaces
*This page is dedicated to keeping our community informed about the progress of developing this new inclusive campus. Here, you’ll find the latest updates, timelines, and milestones as we work toward creating a place where our students, staff, and community can thrive.
Check back frequently to find the latest updates as the project moves forward. We're thrilled to share this journey with you!
April 2026 Update:
Progress continues to build across the project, with visible changes taking shape both inside and out!
Inside, the courtyards are beginning to transform. Groundwork is underway in Courtyard #4 in preparation for new flooring, while Courtyard #5 has reached a key milestone with its foundation now complete. Work is also moving ahead in Courtyard #6. In the West Wing, new flooring is being poured, most recently near Courtyard #3, helping to define the future layout of the space. Crews have also begun preparing for upcoming courtyard roof modifications—an important step in reimagining these areas.
Outside, major progress is also underway. Utility work along the west side of the site has been completed, and at the southeast corner, the foundation for the new Alternative Education addition is now in place, bringing this exciting expansion one step closer to reality. On the west side of the building, demolition work continues to make way for what’s next.
Our Partners
