CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — We already know that over 100 children from the migrant families at hotel shelters will be joining the student body at the Sweet Home School District in Amherst and the Maryvale School District in Cheektowaga.
Maryvale Superintendent Joseph D'Angelo spoke on August 15 of the educational balancing act affecting him.
"I have to protect the district, taxpayers of the district but also I wanna make sure that I provide these kids the stability and the best education that we can provide them," D'Angelo said.
And then talk two weeks ago of an Erie County focused plan to be led by Deputy County Executive Lisa Chimera, who is a retired teacher. Erie County Executive Poloncarz told 2 On Your Side back on August 17 that "Erie County is intimately involved in the goal with regards to educating and ensuring that the school districts that are involved can play a key role in children that are school-aged."
He added at the time: "We've had very good conversations that have included the New York State Education Department and others, and I feel confident that we're going to be announcing very soon a good plan to ensure the education of these newest residents of our community.
Reporter: And that would include funding?
Poloncarz: "We'll be discussing that very soon."
So far, two weeks later and with the start of school next week, there has been no county announcement of any plan.
But the regional Erie BOCES 1, which the state uses to assist districts, is involved helping to find more bilingual teachers, which may be even harder to find now.
BOCES Superintendent Dr. Michael Capuana told 2 On Your Side in a Zoom interview on Thursday: "It really is a challenge to find bilingual educators for the students we're going to be serving in general, and then with a potential influx of students having those needs. Once those needs are understood, then I think that there will potentially need to be advocacy that will happen. They include professional development for the teachers in the school districts that are impacted and just making sure that if necessary we can collaborate to recruit additional teachers."
That could mean extra funding even with busing of any migrant students. Capuana pointed out: "We may need some additional support here in Western New York, and whether that's resources to support additional transportation, if it's necessary. One of the benefits is that at this point the students are in one location."
He says that also includes potential counseling needs for the students.
"If that includes resources, then that's something that I think we revisit at that times," Capuana said. "But first and foremost is the process of having the chance to get to know the kids, connect with the families and get ready for the school year."
Reporter: You're in the assessment phase right now, then perhaps in the future perhaps there would be the ask to Albany, the governor, state education, to see is there any funding available?
Capuana responded, "Yes, that's correct."
So far Gov. Kathy Hochul has been seeking extra money from the federal government even with her White House visit Wednesday night to plead New York's case for more federal funding for what she calls the "humanitarian crisis."
She later told Spectrum News in an interview "Support for education, educating these children is gonna be expensive. What other help can we get from the federal government for education for the children?"
The White House later mentioned agreement of policies to help set up future employment options for migrants but there was no specific mention of any additional federal funding for education or anything else involving the situation for asylum seekers in New York City or the state.