The Rochester City School District (RCSD) is facing unprecedented mid-year reductions in education aid from New York State. These cuts surpass the losses faced by any other school district in Monroe County, and are among the highest of any school district in New York State. The state’s current approach to budget reductions disproportionately targets districts with the highest needs, undermines the purpose of New York State aid to local school districts, and bolsters institutional racism in our community. 

The Children’s Agenda is deeply concerned that school closures are disproportionately harming our most vulnerable children. We believe schools need to reopen safely as soon as possible, but are concerned the politicization of the issue, and the lack of sufficient resources and clear guidelines for schools, is putting reopening—and children’s wellbeing—in jeopardy.

Make history in 2019. Put the State’s money in the early years, where it matters most.

New York can’t afford to leave generations of children behind!

State leaders must keep the promise of pre-k for all and increase investment in child care.

How the Rochester community spends money on education is a reflection of its values. This policy brief is an introduction to thinking about the larger forces shaping the RCSD budget and the values those forces are promoting.

Child maltreatment is a common problem with devastating and long-lasting consequences. The current status of child welfare in Monroe County is particularly worrisome due to the high rate of children living in poverty, the high rate of children born to unwed mothers, and the low high school graduation rates in addition to a current shortage of CPS workers.