Volume 1, Issue 4
February 2026
Rochester Board of Education
Roc BOE News
Board Goals: September 2023 to June 2028
All students reading by third grade –Increase the percentage of students proficient on the 3rd grade NYS ELA from 15% to 50%.
Increase the percentage of students in grades 3-8 who are proficient on the NYS ELA assessment from 16% to 40%.
Increase the percentage of students in grades 3-8 who are proficient on the NYS Math assessment from 14% to 40%.
Increase the number of students earning 5 or more credits in 9th grade from 70% to 90%.
President ’ s Desk The Rochester Board of Education is pleased to welcome Commissioners Heather Feinman and Kareem McCullough. We look forward to the expe- rience, talent, and fresh perspectives they bring as we continue our work on behalf of our students and community. At the center of every decision we make is our commitment to the academic success, well-being, and future opportunities of every RCSD student. We are deeply appreciative of the dedication and hard work of RCSD employees, whose commitment supports our students and families every day. We want to share that Superintendent Rosser has invit- ed our RAP, BENTE, and RTA collective bargaining units to engage in discussions as part of the collec- tive bargaining process. Collaboration remains es-
Inside this issue:
sential as we move forward together.
Student Outcomes Focused Governance
2
As we enter budget season, we are optimistic about Governor Hochul ’ s direct investment in early child- hood literacy, which we believe will help strengthen reading outcomes for our students here in Roches- ter. Finally, please know that your voices matter. I en- courage staff, students, and families to sign up to speak at upcoming Board of Education speaker fo- rums and to look for details about my upcoming office hours. We welcome your continued engage- ment and partnership. With Gratitude,
Advisory Group Corner
2
Public Hearings
3
Budget Process
3
Can Someone Please HELP ME?!
3
Engaging with the Board
Camille Simmons Board President
4
Roc BOE News
Student Outcomes Focused Governance
is focused on what ’ s true for stu- dents, not on what adults are/aren ’ t doing. Monitoring questions start with “ who ”, “ what ”, “ why ”, and “ how ”. Example Questions: • Who is not included in this data? • What did we learn from this? • Why was there no growth? • How can the Board help? Evaluating the Quality of Monitoring After completing monitoring, the Board should identify a tool to help with reflecting on its performance. For more information about the Student Outcomes Focused Gov- ernance (SOFG) framework, visit https://www.rcsdk12.org/sofg. DID YOU KNOW …. The Board ’ s work includes oversight of the District ’ s budget to ensure transparency and responsible use of public resources.
Student Outcomes do not change until adult behaviors change. What is progress monitoring ? Progress monitoring is a conversa- tion between the Board and Su- perintendent that provides the Board the opportunity to evaluate the alignment between the com- munity ’ s vision (goals towards student outcomes) and the Dis- trict ’ s reality (current student performance/growth). How is monitoring beneficial? Effective monitoring helps the Board and Superintendent stay focused on student success in four key ways. • Lead by Example: The Board models reflection and data- informed decision-making.
• Clarify Strategies: Progress data helps guide timely adjust- ments. • Communicate Expectations: By dedicating at least 50% of the Board ’ s monthly meeting time to monitoring progress toward the District ’ s vision, priorities are clearly communicated sys- temwide. • Formative Evaluation: Ongoing feedback from the Board to the Superintendent supports con- tinuous improvement beyond annual reviews. During Monitoring Monitoring is about understanding how reality matches the Board ’ s adopted goals. Monitoring is never about offering advice or recom- mendations. The Board ’ s curiosity
DID YOU KNOW …. The Superintendent develops the school year budget, and the Board votes to adopt it after extensive deliberation and a public hearing.
Advisory Group Corner
Get Involved in District-wide Advisory Groups!
Are you a current RCSD student or parent? Are you aware that there are three District-wide parent groups and one District- wide student group? For Students The Student Leadership Congress (SLC) is a body of student leaders representing their respective high schools and serves as the voice of students to the Board of Educa- tion, Superintendent, District administration, and community leaders. Participating members offer their perspectives on educa- tion policies, school climate and
inform their administrators about relevant citywide school issues. For more information, visit https:// www.rcsdk12.org/youth. For Parents District-wide groups offer parents and caregivers a space to engage in advocacy and support their children ’ s education. Most parent groups meet monthly. District-wide parent groups in- clude: 1. Bilingual Education Council (BEC) 2. Parent Leadership Advisory
Council (PLAC) 3. Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC) For more information about each District-wide group, visit https:// www.rcsdk12.org/parentgroups, or contact the Office of Parent Engagement by emailing parentcenter@rcsdk12.org or calling 585-324-9999. To learn more about participating in a school-based student or par- ent group, contact your school.
Page 2
Volume 1, Issue 4
Public Hearings
About Public Hearings The Board of Education shall schedule public hearings in accord- ance with the law and on occasions when it wishes to gather infor- mation and seek opinions on im- portant issues affecting the Roch- ester City School District (RCSD). The Board shall take no formal action at a public hearing. Typically, public hearings are noticed to the public at least 10 school days prior to the public hearing, this does not include charter school hearings as they are noticed as received. The time and place of the hearings shall be designated in the notice of the hearing.
Annually, the Board hold public hearings on the following areas: Budget, Charter Schools, Code of Conduct (Policy 1400), Contract for Excellence, Districtwide School Safety Plan, and State Monitor ’ s Academic & Fiscal Plans . The Board may hold public hearings on other topics as needed. How to Participate An individual may register to speak and/or submit a written comment by contacting the Board of Educa- tion office by noon on the day of the public hearing, by calling (585) 262-8525 or emailing publichear- ing@rcsdk12.org. The following information must be included:
name, telephone number, email address, home address, and affilia- tion (student, parent, community member or staff). Excluding staff, individuals who do not reside with- in the City of Rochester do not have the privilege of speaking and/ or submitting written comments at meetings, except when exception is granted by the chair of the forum. To view public hearing policies and procedure, visit https:// www.rcsdk12.org/policy: Policy 2390, Public Hearings; Exhibit, 2390-E1, Public Hearings Procedure; and Policy 6120, Budget Hearing. 2026-27 Budget Meetings The Board will hold the following meetings to engage in the 2026- 2027 school year budget process: 1st Budget Deliberation Session Tuesday, April 14 th at 6pm Budget Public Hearing Tuesday, April 21 st at 5:30pm 2nd Budget Deliberation Session Tuesday, April 28 th at 6pm Board Budget Vote Tuesday, May 5 th at 6pm The adopted budget book is scheduled to be published on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.
Budget Process
Budget Policy (Policy 6110) The Board of Education will annu- ally approve a specific budget calendar developed by the Chief Financial Officer and recommend- ed by the Superintendent in ac- cordance with exhibit 6110-E1, Budget Timeframe. The Superintendent, in conjunc- tion with the Chief Financial Officer, will develop a multiyear long-range plan, including plans for budget presentation in both a program-based and school unit format. It will be reviewed annual- ly with the Board of Education as part of the budget process.
The budget for the ensuing school year shall be thoroughly reviewed by the Board of Education in no less than two (2) meetings to con- vene for the purpose of a budget deliberation. Following this re- view, the Board will adopt a budg- et for the coming fiscal year in accordance with policy 6130 for subsequent submission to the City of Rochester for inclusion in their budget submission to City Council. For the full policy, visit https:// www.rcsdk12.org/policy.
“ Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence ”.
- Helen Keller
For more information on the budget process, visit https:// www.rcsdk12.org/budget.
Can Someone Please HELP ME?!
Oftentimes our District families, staff, and community reach out to the Board Office, a Board mem- ber, and/or register to speak at a Board meeting because they do not know who to call, or they feel unseen or stuck. FRUSTRATION! While the Board and its Board department are always happy to assist our families, going directly to the District staff who can re- solve the issue is often the fastest way to get help. The right con- nection makes all the difference.
When you are not sure where to start, here are two resources available to you: RCSD Family Services: When our families have an issue or concern, we want to provide you with a clear method for com- municating those concerns. We ask that you follow the process outlined on https:// www.rcsdk12.org/familyservices, which provides the appropriate steps to take for most school- related issues.
Let ’ s Talk! Customer Service Platform:
The District is utilizing Let ’ s Talk! to help create new lines of com- munication for school and District services for parents, staff, stu- dents, and our community to ac- cess anytime, anywhere. Visit https://www.rcsdk12.org/letstalk for more information on the Let ’ s Talk! platform. Clear communication helps us re- solve concerns faster, so we can stay focused on what matters most—our students ’ success.
Page 3
Rochester Board of Education
Board of Education Meetings
WHEN ARE PUBLIC BOARD MEETINGS : The Board of Education meets monthly the second Tuesday at 6pm for Work Sessions, the third Tuesday at 5:30pm for Speaker Forums, and the fourth Thursday at 6pm for Business Meetings. At least once a year, the Board meets the first Tuesday at 6pm for Audit Committee meetings. Periodically, the Board may convene for other public meetings. For the Board ’ s most up to date calendar, visit www.rcsdk12.org/calendar. WHERE ARE BOARD MEETINGS HELD: Unless otherwise specified, all Board meetings can be accessed in-person at 131 West Broad Street, 14614 in Conference Room 3A/3B, or online at www.rcsdk12.org/youtube or www.rcsdk12.org/rcsdtv. WHERE ARE BOARD MEETING MATERIALS: All Board meeting agendas and materials can be found at www.rcsdk12.org/boarddocs. Meeting materials are typically available two days prior to the meeting. SPEAKER FORUMS: The Board values input from the community, as such input can directly inform Board discussions and decision-making. To facilitate this, the Board hosts a monthly Speaker Forum dedicated to receiving public comments. Forums are held at 5:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month (unless otherwise noted). An individual may register to speak and/or submit a written comment by contacting the Board of Education office by noon on the day of the meeting, by calling (585) 262-8525 or emailing boardofeducation@rcsdk12.org. The fol- lowing information must be included: name, telephone number, email address, home address, affiliation (student, parent, community member or staff) and the topic on which the individual wishes to speak on. Excluding staff, individuals who do not reside within the City of Rochester do not have the privilege of speaking and/or submitting written comments at meetings, except when exception is granted by the chair of the fo- rum. Excluding public hearings, Speaker Forums will be the only opportunity for the community to address the Board.
Board Upcoming Public Events
Tuesday, March 10, 2026: Work Session (6:00 pm) Tuesday, March 17, 2026: Speaker Forum & Code of Conduct Public Hearing (5:30 pm) Thursday, March 26, 2026: Business Meeting (6:00 pm) Tuesday, April 7, 2026: Work Session (6:00 pm) Tuesday, April 21, 2026: Speaker Forum & Budget Public Hearing (5:30 pm) Thursday, April 23, 2026: Business Meeting (6:00 pm) See page 3 under Budget Process for the budget meetings schedule
We ’ re on the Web! www.rcsdk12.org/boe
Become a Parent or Student Advisor
WORD SCRAMBLE Unscramble the letters to form the correct word.
Parent Advisors and Student Advisors serving in an advisory capac- ity to monthly Board Work Session may be appointed in alignment with exhibit 2300-E3. The Board recognizes the role that parents and students play in our school communities and requests that parents and students play an active part in the fiscal oversight and accountability functions of the Board. WHO CAN SERVE? Interested Parents: Only parents and legal guardians of students currently attending the Rochester City School District who are not employees of the District will be allowed to serve. Interested Students: Only students currently attending a Roches- ter City School District school, in grades 8 th through 12 th , having good academic standing, and on track to graduate will be allowed to serve.
For more information and how to apply, visit www.rcsdk12.org/ boerep.
CONTACT US: Rochester Board of Education
1. odbra 2. irmcemsnsooi 3. ciyopl 4. gebtdu
5. tnuertnpdisene 6. osteehrrc 7. goasl 8. urlrgdiasa
131 West Broad Street Rochester, NY 14614 Phone: 585-262-8525 Fax: 585-262-8381 Email: boardofeducation@rcsdk12.org
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator