The Rochester City School District is preparing to re-absorb East Upper and Lower Schools after more than a decade of partnership with the University of Rochester.
That relationship began when the East schools were facing possible closure over low performance. UR oversaw the East campus for roughly 12 years.
In that time, the upper school saw graduation rates rise from 33% to 85%, attendance increase to 90%, and the dropout rate drop to 15%, according to UR’s Warner School of Education.
East Lower continues to be in receivership along with five other schools in the district: School 16, School 28, School 33, Edison Tech High School and Monroe High School.
Marlene Blocker, former superintendent of East and current chief of innovation and school reform with the Rochester City School District, said the shift brings challenges.
“Our support model will significantly change," Blocker said during a school board meeting this week. “We previously had an English, math, science, and social studies teacher, for example, all in one room that supported kids simultaneously. That will reduce to one teacher per room. Staff reductions will happen, just like they've happened in every RCSD school. “
Staffing cuts at East include positions in counseling, reading instruction and building-level administration.
In 2024, the city school board voted to end the partnership between East and UR despite pleas from community members. District leadership then extended the transition process by one year.
Now, starting next school year, the campus will be back under district oversight, and it will house the Rochester International Academy (RIA).
The program works with students who are English language learners as they acclimate to the culture and academics in Rochester. It will be relocated to the East campus this coming school year.
“We wanted to make sure that as we were transitioning the RIA program over to East, that it still had a substantial amount of support to be able to support our new Americans within that school context,” Superintendent Eric Rosser said.
Language coaches will help smooth the transition for students of that program who speak languages other than English, according to Blocker.
“Our goal is to make certain that the best practices that RIA teachers use can be shared with the East teachers through professional development, and that they can continue to grow simultaneously,” she said.
“So, do we have every resource there right now that they've had at RIA over all these years? No. But do I believe we have the supports in place that will continue to help keep it successful? I do.”
School board member Jacqueline Griffin voiced apprehension over whether students who need instruction, guidance and support in a language other than English will be able to access that.
“I'm just concerned that as we're doing this transition, that we don't have the people in specific places at the RCSD and at East, or any other school that needs it, that we are again be failing our students and out of compliance,” Griffin said. "If we can't provide those services, we are failing our children.”
