$1.16B Budget RCSD Approved

The Rochester Board of Education approved a $1.16 billion budget Tuesday night for the 2026-27 school year, following a rally outside district offices and heated debate inside the boardroom over cuts to student support services. The board voted 4-3 to adopt the budget, which totals $1,161,267,745 and takes effect July 1. Board President Camille Simmons said the adopted budget will now head to Rochester City Council for review.

Ahead of the vote, RCSD employees, parents and advocates gathered outside the district’s central office to urge board members to reject the spending plan. Critics said the budget includes cuts to social work services, school food services, home instruction services and other supports they say students rely on.

Inside the meeting, multiple board members voted against the budget, aligning themselves with some of the concerns raised by community members. Commissioner Isaiah Santiago said he did not believe the budget was clearly connected to the district’s academic goals.

“This proposed budget attempts to make too many sweeping structural changes all at once, without sufficient stakeholder engagement, implementation planning, operational safeguards or demonstrated sustainability,” Santiago said.

Commissioner Beatriz LeBron-Harris also raised concerns about the process.

“I am also deeply troubled by the lack of transparency throughout this budget process,” LeBron-Harris said. “Our community has repeatedly asked for clear answers, detailed explanations, and meaningful engagement. Yet too many questions remain unanswered.”

District leaders have said they are facing major financial challenges heading into the next school year. Superintendent Dr. Eric Jay Rosser said the budget reflects investments in student learning, while also acknowledging that some positions were removed because of limited revenue.

“There are decisions that were made to remove some positions based upon us not having the revenue streams to support those positions,” Rosser said.

The district said the approved budget includes investments in reading teachers, multilingual learner supports, expanded Pre-K programming, career and technical education, college and career readiness, restorative practices and school climate supports.

The budget also includes plans for a new Parent Center, Parent University, expanded multilingual family supports, community partnerships, staff professional development, transportation, facilities, safety, communications and technology.

Simmons said the district was able to restore some positions that had initially been on the chopping block, including several social worker positions.

“At the beginning of this conversation, we were looking at 30, potentially 30, social workers that were going to be cut and being down to 10,” Simmons said. “It’s definitely reassuring to see that we are trying to prioritize mental health and the supports that are needed for students.”

The vote comes after an April public hearing where dozens of speakers urged the board to reconsider reductions to social work services, home hospital instruction and other programs for students with medical, emotional and academic needs.

At that time, district leaders said $4.9 million in grant funding helped restore some proposed cuts, including 15.5 social workers, 4.4 school counselors and 18 home hospital teachers.

Rosser previously said RCSD continues to face pressure from rising health care, transportation and special education costs.

In a statement after the vote, Simmons said the budget required difficult choices.

“We heard the concerns raised by students, families, staff, and community members, and those concerns mattered throughout our deliberations,” Simmons said. “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.”

Simmons said the board plans to continue conversations about the budget as the process moves forward.

Source: Rochester First