About Us

In the fall of 2020, the Western New York Regional Information Center (WNYRIC) was identified as a Level 1 Center for the Teaching Remote Hybrid Learning (TRLE) grant through the New York State Department of Education (NYSED).  

TRLE focuses on the human capital aspect of rethinking education by building the capacity of teachers and educational leaders to effectively implement remote learning for all students. As well, though during this difficult time support has been expressed for teachers and educational leaders, TRLE will work to alleviate parent concerns regarding how remote learning will affect their children. TRLE will do this by developing strong educator-family connections in remote/hybrid learning environments a key element of professional learning. 

To address the current COVID-19 impact on learning in New York State, TRLE will begin with a rapid infusion of capacity-building resources for teachers and educational leaders to advance remote instruction for vulnerable student populations. The goal of the grant is to support teachers and administrators across the region to increase capacity in six focus areas: 

• Social Emotional Learning 

• Culturally Responsive Teaching 

• Remote and hybrid teaching 

• Families as Partners 

• Students with disabilities 

• English Language Learners 

For more than two years, the Western Joint Management Team (JMT), Cattaraugus-Allegany BOCES, Erie 1 BOCES, Erie 2-Chatauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES, and Orleans/Niagara BOCES, has focused on working more collaboratively through local and statewide professional learning opportunities. As such, WNYRIC will work in partnership with the Western JMT and Buffalo Public Schools to meet the needs of public, private, parochial, and charter districts across the region utilizing our local expertise, higher education partners, and national speakers, and statewide partners such as the Regional Partnership Center and Regional Bilingual Education-Resource Network.   

This is an unprecedented time in education. TRLE will pave the way for future generations of educators by producing much-needed data on how best to instruct all students in an online environment, while also providing a successful professional learning framework that other states may replicate.