Smart Schools Investment Plan

Smart Schools Bond Act

The Smart Schools Bond Act was passed in the 2014-15 Enacted Budget and approved by the voters in a statewide referendum held during the 2014 General Election on Tuesday, November 4, 2014. The Smart Schools Bond Act (SSBA) authorized the issuance of $2 billion of general obligation bonds to finance improved educational technology and infrastructure to improve learning and opportunity for students throughout the State. The SSBA required a Review Board to approve districts’ Smart Schools Investment Plans before any funds would be made available for the program.

Seneca Falls Central School District qualified for $1,152,629 from the Smart Schools Bond Act.  This funding could be used for instructional technology and school safety upgrades.  The first step in applying for this funding was to submit our Instructional Technology Plan to New York State for review.  The plan was submitted in September of 2015 and was approved on September 18, 2015 by Kathleen Moorhead, who was the Executive Director of Educational Technology for our State Education Department.

All projects that will be funded using Smart Schools funds need to be approved by the State Education Department.  If approved, all projects will be fully reimbursable, but districts need to spend the money upfront before being reimbursed. Below are the necessary documents outlined by NYSED.

The Smart Schools Investment Plan (SSIP) was available on this site for 30 days until it went to the BOE for final approval.  A public hearing took place before the BOE meeting on July 7, 2016. 

**Smart Schools Update ** September 27, 2024:

The Seneca Falls CSD Board of Education recently approved the 2024 Smart Schools Investment Preliminary Plan. This plan includes the upgrade of building classroom door locks to a wireless badge access system. Moving to this system will allow the district to monitor and safely execute building and districtwide lockdowns in an emergency. The wireless lock system will also eliminate the need for physical keys. The preliminary plan presentation (below) was presented on September 25, 2024 to the Board of Education before approval of the preliminary plan. The District Safety Committee approved the preliminary plan on Sept. 19, 2024. Following the 30-day comment period, the Board of Education will look to approval the final plan and submit it to NYS on November 7, 2024.

Potential Plan Costs:

Elementary Buildings (2) = $464,000

Middle School Building = $229,600 (To be covered through the 2025-26 Capital Project)

Mynderse Academy = $327,000

As of 2024, the Seneca Falls CSD has $829,792 in available funding

Draft Timeline

Sept 19, 2024  - Planning Committee to present preliminary plan (District Safety Committee Meeting)

September 25, 2024 - Board of Education Meeting to present preliminary plan, Adopt resolution to approve the preliminary plan, begin application process, Letter of Intent, Post to website, start of 30 day public input window

November 7, 2024 - Public Hearing, Adopt resolution approving the plan 

Nov. ‘24 - Fall ‘25       Submit and wait for approval, Begin project immediately following

**Smart Schools Update ** April 8, 2017:

The Seneca Falls CSD original Smart Schools Investment Plan was unsubmitted by NYSED, per request from the SFCSD Board of Education in order to make adjustments to the components of the plan.  SFCSD removed the School Connectivity component of the plan and replaced it with Classroom Learning Technology.  The plan was approved by the Board of Education and submitted back to NYSED on April 8, 2017. The revised plan can be found on the bottom of this page.