The Rochester City School District Board of Education passed the $1.16 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year in a 4-3 vote Tuesday evening after a fraught process.
Board President Camille Simmons, Vice President Amy Maloy and newest members Heather Feinman and Kareem Ba McCullough voted in favor. Board members Jacqueline Griffin, Beatriz LeBron, and Isaiah Santiago voted "no."
“This budget keeps students at the center of our decision-making while recognizing the real financial challenges before us,” Superintendent Eric Rosser said in a statement. “We know that student success is shaped not only by what happens during the school day, but also by the strength of the connections among schools, families, and the community.”
The initial draft budget was met with community backlash. It included cuts to student support services and educational programming for students who require home and hospital instruction, and reductions in mental and social health staffing. District leadership later walked back those proposed cuts.
“We heard the concerns raised by students, families, staff, and community members, and those concerns mattered throughout our deliberations,” Simmons said in a statement. “At the same time, we had a legal responsibility to adopt a budget that supports academic achievement, strengthens literacy, protects essential student supports, and helps position the District for greater stability."
