Rochester City Council will be voting tonight on whether to approve Rochester City School District’s budget.
The vote comes after the Rochester Board of Education approved on May 12, in a 4-3 vote, the district’s $1.16 billion budget for the 2026-27 school year.
Leading up to the board’s approval, concerns were raised among community members as the district’s draft budget showed funding cuts of about $3 million for district-wide counseling, psychological services and social work.
Since the release of the draft budget, Superintendent Eric Jay Rosser said the district has been awarded $4.9 million in grant funding — which has allowed them to continue to finalize the budget.
He also said they have reinstated 15.5 social worker positions, 4.4 school counselor positions and have identified revenue that will fund 18 home hospital teachers at this time.
“No responsible budget comes without hard choices. The concerns raised by our members of our board and our community as well as our students have been heard, respected and taken seriously,” Rosser said.
The city council meeting will begin at 6 p.m. June 16 at Rochester City Hall. The meeting will also be livestreamed and can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/user/RochesterCityCouncil.
— Kerria Weaver works as the Government and You reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle, with a focus on how government actions affect communities and neighborhoods in Rochester and in Monroe County.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rochester City Council to vote tonight on RCSD $1.16B budget
Reporting by Kerria Weaver, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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By Kerria Weaver, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
