NIAGARA FALLS — The man who represents Western New York on the state Board of Regents told officials in the Niagara Falls School District on Thursday to prepare for what is expected to be an extremely difficult fiscal year by being as innovative and cost-efficient as possible.

During a presentation to school board members at the district’s 66th Street administration building, Chancellor Emeritus Robert M. Bennett said the time has come for districts like Niagara Falls to consider sharing services and promoting new ideas for training teachers and educating students.

Bennett, whose work on the regents board involves making supervisory decisions related to the state education system, said in light of New York’s significant and ongoing financial problems, districts across the state will need to start relying more on themselves and less on Albany in the months and years ahead.

“I think the largess of school aid is over,” Bennett said. “This is unprecedented what we are going to face here. I’ve been on the board 16 years and, believe me, I do not believe I’ve ever seen it like this in terms of the shortfall that’s going to occur.”

The board of regents oversees educational activities within the state, presiding over the education department and state university system. Bennett was elected to represent the Eighth Judicial District in Western New York on the board in 1995. He stepped down as chancellor in 2009, but continues to serve as a Regent representing the area as chancellor emeritus.

On Thursday, he made it clear state education department officials will likely begin pushing local school districts to work closer together in an effort to reduce costs. Bennett named several potential areas where he believes savings could be realized through increased cooperation, including the pooling of employee healthcare, shared contract negotiations and more collaborative leadership training.

Bennett said it’s clear new Gov. Andrew Cuomo has an interest in developing a more cost-effective education system and said he would expect school district mergers to be given serious consideration moving forward.

“I think if we had a clean slate and we had to redesign the system of education, I don’t think we would create 685 school districts and we would be crazy if we did it, so we’ve got to look at that,” he said.

When board members suggested similar ideas have been discussed in the past without any real follow through, Bennett said he believes this time may be different.

“I think the incentive is now nobody’s going to have enough money acting alone,” he said. “Nobody’s going to have enough money. They’ll have substantially less money.”

Bennett insisted that less money will not necessarily mean a decline in the quality of education for New York’s students. In fact, he said, he believes it is possible for the state to deliver better services without expanding budgets.

Bennett said the state is looking to expand so-called “family support centers,” school-based programs that connect educators, parents and children with various health, mental health and community agencies in an effort to ensure that students are receiving the help they need to deal with growing problems like neglect, poverty and domestic violence before they enter the classroom. Bennett said similar centers are in place in some districts in Western New York and across the state and have proven effective in improving student academic achievement.

He said money was clearly not the answer to improving education for students, noting that state and local governments spent $52 billion on its K-12 system this year, up from $27 billion spent 11 years ago.

“I don’t think it’s a question of money,” he said. “I think it’s a question of very legitimate collaboration and joint accountability. That would be the answer.”

“I think there’s a better way to deliver the product,” he added. “That’s the conversation we should be having.”

Bennett encouraged district officials to share as many successful ideas with Albany as possible. He said districts also need to do a better job of telling the communities they serve about successful students, teachers, parents and programs.

“Fasten your seat belts,” Bennett said. “It’s not going to be an easy time. This is the time to do innovative things.”