The New York State Association of Small City School Districts (SCSD) is exploring a statewide cooperative approach to employee health benefits. The purpose is to determine whether participating school districts can use collective scale to strengthen purchasing and negotiating leverage, improve administrative efficiency, strengthen claims and utilization management and support employee health. The concept remains under evaluation; no final legal structure, vendormodel, benefit design, or participation commitment has been selected.The proposed first step is a six- to eight-district feasibility study designed to clarify the potential financial value, operating model, legal and regulatory requirements, governance considerations and implementation needs before any broader decision to proceed.