The Children’s Agenda presents its 20th annual review of the proposed Monroe County budget to highlight the County’s planned investments in children and recommend changes we believe will help create a thriving community for families and children.

The City of Rochester’s Proposed Budget for 2021-22 directs expenditures to support our community’s recovery from 16 months of health, economic, and social crises. While pandemic restrictions are slowly being lifted and many Rochester residents are returning to some sense of normalcy, the healing from losses experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has just begun. Children are the center of our concern.

The City of Rochester’s Proposed Budget for 2021-22 directs expenditures to support our community’s recovery from 16 months of health, economic, and social crises. While pandemic restrictions are slowly being lifted and many Rochester residents are returning to some sense of normalcy, the healing from losses experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic has just begun. Children are the center of our concern.

PRIORITY RECOMMENDATION #1:
Eliminate the School Resource Officer contract with the Rochester City School District.
Under the School Resource Officer (SRO) contract, armed Rochester police officers have been present in a number of Rochester schools since 1998. There is increasing concern that this program has accelerated the school-to-prison pipeline in Rochester, as the permanent presence of armed police on school grounds may unintentionally lead to the criminalization of youth for normal adolescent behavior.

The Rochester City School District (RCSD) Board of Education has approved a shift of as many as 500 PreK slots from existing neighborhood providers into two district-run schools starting next school year by a
5-2 vote. We applaud Commissioners LeBron and Elliott for opposing the plan and standing up for a more cautious and thoughtful approach. Now it is critically important to maximize potential benefits to
children and families and minimize any potential harm.

RCSD should immediately establish a Board-Staff-Community Task Force to develop a comprehensive Pre-K and early elementary enrollment plan.

The City of Rochester’s FY20 budget was proposed just after the release of “Rochester 2034,” the City’s Draft Comprehensive Plan for the next 15 years. The Children’s Agenda urges the City to target resources toward 3 critical investments.