Rochester City School Board

The Rochester City School District is looking to implement substantial budget cuts to deal with the current financial situation.

Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small outlined the changes during an update she provided to the Board of Education’s Finance Committee on Tuesday evening.

Myers-Small outlined what the district says is a conservative approach to spending and talked about a structural budget deficit projected at $59.3 million during this fiscal year and a budget gap for the 2021-22 school year projected at $74 million.

Rochester City School Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small introduced a hybrid plan Thursday for reopening district buildings. Last school year, all students finished the year learning remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A return-to-school plan from all districts was ordered by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

A new survey from the Rochester City School District asks students, parents and staff their concerns and questions about reopening schools. 

“The survey was released to help better understand the concerns and/or questions individuals have regarding the reopening of schools this fall,” a statement from the district said.

The feedback is expected to be used along with guidance from Gov. Andrew Cuomo and national, state and local health officials. 

Rochester residents had their first chance to talk to Shelley Jallow Thursday. She’s the state appointed monitor for the city school district.

Jallow was appointed as part of a deal with the state to bail out the district in April. The district was short more than $30 million and was running low on options. 

The state education department has approved a continued relationship between the University of Rochester and the Rochester City School District. 

The university has run East High School in partnership with the district for the last five years. The Rochester Board of Education, in a split vote, approved an extension a few months ago. 

The New York State Education Department has appointed a state monitor to help oversee the Rochester City School District.

Shelley Jallow was appointed by Interim State Ed. Commissioner Shannon Tahoe, as a result of a recent agreement with state lawmakers which provided a $35 million dollar advance on state aid to the RCSD with the requirement that a monitor to oversee academic and fiscal issues be appointed. 

The Rochester City School Board adopted a budget Thursday night for the upcoming school year. The plan was designed to bridge an $87 million budget gap. It passed by a 6-1 vote with Commissioner Beatriz LeBron voting no. 

The plan cuts more than 300 teaching and staffing positions, and closes five elementary schools. One of those school will be converted into a Pre-K center and another into a middle school, among numerous other changes.

The Rochester City School District is nearing a budget deal after making many changes to outgoing superintendent Terry Dade’s budget on Tuesday night. 

Unlike previous presentations, this one didn’t have Dade’s name on it and it was presented by Deputy Superintendent Lynda Quick and Chief Financial Officer Robert Franklin.