Rochester school board tables Caring Steps discussion after parents and staff press for more analysis

The Rochester Community Schools Board of Education voted to table discussion of the district-operated early childhood center Caring Steps until the board’s March 17 business meeting after a work-session motion to postpone passed 5-0.

The motion, made by Trustee Anath and seconded by Trustee Alsbaugh, came after several public commenters and board members said the district and the public need more time and more detailed analysis before any decision is made about the program’s future. “This topic was just brought forward a week ago for public discussion. ... It warrants more time for further deliberation and consideration,” Trustee Anath said when moving to postpone.

Why it matters: Caring Steps serves preschool-age children under the Rochester Community School District brand and parents and staff said the program both attracts families and feeds district enrollment. Opponents on the board have cited sustained operating losses and uncertainty about whether additional investment would produce a sustainable business model.

Public comments at the Feb. work session featured parents and Caring Steps staff describing the program’s facilities, demand and staffing challenges. Jessica Renick, who identified herself as a parent, urged deeper analysis and outside expertise. “The Caring Steps facility has the bones to be the gold standard of the art for early childhood education in our area,” Renick said, adding that the цент­er’s large classrooms, full kitchen and gymnasium make it unique in the area.

Charles Hiebert, who identified himself as a parent and former student in the building, raised budget questions and presented his own extrapolation of figures discussed at the prior Feb. 24 board meeting, saying the center’s 2024 revenue model and staffing pay rates could suggest a much smaller operating deficit than some board members have described. He said the center’s wait list was “over 200 plus children” and estimated potential operating margins based on numbers raised at the earlier meeting.

Staff and families who work at or use Caring Steps urged the board to retain the program while the district explores options. Amanda Johnson, who identified herself as a lead kindergarten-prep teacher at Caring Steps, described staff turnover and compensation pressures and asked the board to consider higher hourly pay and hiring a director. “I truly love and adore teaching and my team in my current classroom,” Johnson said, adding that teacher pay increases would help retention.

Other commenters suggested immediate operational changes the district could examine, including reviewing tuition credits (a parent said a vacation-credit policy has the effect of reducing revenue) and re-evaluating third-party administrative arrangements. Brendan See told the board his family chose to move into Rochester largely because Caring Steps is part of the district and asked that any financial review consider parent preferences and the value of the program as recruitment for the elementary schools.

Board members who spoke during the discussion emphasized that the item had been raised recently and that administrators had not been able to compile full answers in time for the work session. Trustee Lacoue (posting earlier on social media about the issue) reiterated concerns about the district’s prior financial support and said the board’s first responsibility is to k–12 and special education students; she said Caring Steps’ continuing financial drain and administrative distraction merit caution.

Formal action: The board amended the agenda to table Caring Steps until the March 17 business meeting and then approved the agenda as amended. The motion to table was made by Trustee Anath and seconded by Trustee Alsbaugh; the board recorded the motion as passed on a five-zero voice vote. The agenda approval also passed 5-0.

What’s next: The board will revisit Caring Steps at its March 17 regular business meeting. Trustees said they expect additional data and answers to questions raised by parents, staff and board members before any final decision. Several trustees invited parents and staff to follow-up conversations and said administration would provide additional material in advance of the next meeting.

Details and context: The Caring Steps discussion arose during public comment and an agenda amendment at the Feb. work session. Trustees noted the district has invested in the Schultz campus facility and that Caring Steps has a multi-year operating history; at least one board member described cumulative district investment in the facility and ongoing program deficits as part of the reason for caution. Parents and staff countered that the facility’s physical assets and program branding deliver recruitment and programming value to Rochester schools and requested a full financial and operational study.

The board’s tabling motion did not make any programmatic decision about Caring Steps’ future; it moved the conversation and any potential vote to the March 17 business meeting.