TCA Review of the RCSD 2026-27 Draft Budget

The Rochester City School District (RCSD) 2026-2027 Draft Budget uses the district’s savings, significantly cuts support services for students (social workers and guidance counselors), and nearly eliminates Home/Hospital Instruction to balance the budget. However, many positions were also added throughout the book, the largest increase being for Special Education. While The Children’s Agenda has many concerns with the cuts made in the Draft Budget, we applaud the Superintendent’s investments in Special Education and English Language Learners.

The three focus areas of this report are Mental Health, School Climate and Suspensions, and School Meals, which were selected by the 70 parent leaders we work with in our Very Invested Parents (VIP) group. The Draft Budget makes deep cuts to social-emotional supports, alternatives to suspensions, and food service, which runs directly counter to our recommendations. We are also deeply concerned that no new mental health satellite clinics are opening next school year, leaving nearly 6,000 RCSD students without access to a clinic.

We call on the Superintendent and Board of Education to reverse the damaging cuts to mental health supports, social-emotional supports, alternatives to suspensions, and food service. We also need greater transparency and public discussion about the many sweeping changes being proposed in the Draft Budget.

Important Budget Takeaways

• Most cuts concentrated among support staff and specialized programs:

• • 52 positions cut for Social Emotional Supports (social workers, guidance counselors, restorative practices coaches, and school psychologists)
  • School Climate budget slashed by $2.44 million (Help Zones)
  • 10.6% of food service staff cut
  • Roc Restorative Team reduced from 13 to 9 and given added responsibilities for mental health
  • Home/Hospital Instruction loses 95% of staff
  • Large cuts to Rochester International Academy
  • Closure of Northwest High School

• Number of classroom teachers largely unchanged despite declining enrollment
• Special Education budget increased by $17.7 million and 94.2 positions
• Opening one new Pre-K Center; moving and expanding the existing Pre-K Center

Our Recommendations

Mental Health

1. Ensure all school buildings have on-site mental health professionals by adding mental health satellite clinics to the remaining 13 elementary schools that do not have one, and to Wilson Magnet High School. This expansion should be phased in over the next three years at a marginal cost of only $15,000 per building per year.
2. Design mental health awareness and outreach campaigns tailored specifically to female and LGBTQ+ students.
3. To the greatest extent possible, the staff providing mental health services should reflect the lived experiences, racial and ethnic backgrounds, and physical proximity (same neighborhoods) to students with whom they are working.
4. Implement the above using a racial equity lens.

School Climate and Suspensions

1. There should be at least one Roc Restorative Coach for every high school and middle school (17 total); there are currently 13.
2. Budget $5 million to contract with outside agencies to provide additional professional development and training over the next 3 years for students/parents on restorative practices.
3. Fund Help Zones/alternative to suspension rooms in every school.
4. Provide publicly available data on school climate in each building through climate surveys of students.

School Meals

1. Maximize state reimbursement rates by participating in New York’s Farm to School program.
2. Add $3 million in supplemental funding for food service to improve meal quality and variety.
3. Work with a representative committee of parents and students to come up with meal ideas that make use of the $3 million in supplemental funding and reflect students’ cultures.