Educators from across the state recently took part in the New York School Board Association's annual Convention and Education Expo. Vince Gallagher reports.

  To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.

Then come back here and refresh the page.

“And our message here today at the school board show is just that, that the diesel fuel is a viable and really the best alternative to meeting transportation costs," said Bill Harvey, Leonard bus sales manager.

Then, the Active Classroom took center stage - a company representing smart boards. Already, if you don’t have one, it seems that you're actually behind the times for the typical student.

"They can use iPads, iPhones, smart phones, everything at two, three years of age, so it's really bringing the classroom up to date with the world they already live in," said Kate Cox, “ActivManager” event manager.

Taking a better look, these days it's not really a luxury, but pretty much a necessity.

"Which type of active board or interactive white board are we going to go with, which company, it's not a question of why have it in the classroom, it's who are we going to use to supply our classrooms,” said Cox.

And with research that shows an 18 percent growth in standard test scores, these smart boards can make students…smarter.

Taking a look at the next subject – music. It’s something else that's been known to help grades, but it's another part of the curriculum that's been on the chopping block lately

"There's quite a bit of data that says students who are in music do very well in school, it's an important thing and it's something that really is very much part of the fabric of education in the United States of America and New York State,” said Steven Schopp, NYSSMA executive director.

At the NYSSBA Convention and Education Expo this year, the hot topics were property tax caps and teacher evaluations, along with a look at high tech future.