Rochester district to eliminate elementary behavior interventionist roles after grant cut; parents and staff urge reversal

Rochester Community Schools officials said they will eliminate the district’s elementary behavior interventionist positions after a roughly 50% reduction in 31AA grant funding, a decision that district administrators and board members said was required by falling one‑time funds.

The announcement prompted extended public comment at the Board of Education’s May 19 meeting, where teachers, school psychologists, parents and behavior interventionists described the positions as critical to preventing and responding to student behavioral and mental‑health needs.

The district’s assistant superintendent of human resources, Matt Murphy, told the board that the grant that helped fund the positions was cut by about $1.7 million — roughly half the prior allocation — and that the elementary roles funded out of that grant were being sun‑set. “These positions are funded by 31AA funding, which has been cut for this year by 50%, totaling around $1,700,000 going forward,” Murphy said. He added that 9 REA employees (about 7.5 full‑time equivalent positions) are now considered displaced and that the district will place those…