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Rochester district to reconfigure pre‑K, shift some classrooms into two centers amid budget shortfall
Summary
District leaders told the Board of Education they will right‑size pre‑K seats and open two early‑childhood centers to address classroom space, special‑education needs and enrollment shortfalls while tying expansion to uncertain state funding.
Chief Academic Officer Chief Cody told the Rochester City School District Board of Education on April 30 that the district will “right‑size” pre‑K for 2026–27, moving some classrooms out of elementary schools and opening two focused early‑childhood centers to preserve continuity and geographic access for families.
The change, Cody said, responds to space constraints in elementary buildings driven by special‑education placements and to a shortfall between projected and actual pre‑K enrollment. Cody reported 2,598 seats filled this year out of 2,821 projected, a shortfall of 223 seats that, she said, could otherwise force the district to return state pre‑K funding if projections are not adjusted.
Why it matters: the administration warned the board the district faces significant multi‑year budget deficits and must choose among difficult tradeoffs. Superintendent Rosser earlier told the board the district plans to request about $23.9 million from fund balance this year and faces an estimated $61 million deficit next year if revenues do not change.
Cody described a mixed delivery model for early childhood — district centers, district classrooms in elementary schools and community‑based organization (CBO) partners — and proposed maintaining a mixed approach while opening two centers in 2026–27 (relocating the Rochester Early Childhood Center from North Clinton to School 39 and opening a new center at School 44), moving some classrooms to CBOs and preserving bilingual pre‑K where possible. "Pre‑K is a major lever in our strategy for academic improvement," she said.
Board members pressed administration for details on costs, transportation and community engagement. Vice President Malloy asked for a breakdown of the one‑time and ongoing costs; Chief McDowell said retrofit costs for the two sites were estimated at roughly $900,000 each (about $1.8 million total) and that some outfitting could be covered by pre‑K grant funds. The administration also told the board it is proposing to increase per‑student CBO allocations from $10,000 to $12,500 pending state support.
Several commissioners, including Commissioner LeBron, expressed strong concerns about community engagement and the practical impact on families. LeBron questioned relying on expected state funds, saying he would not “believe words out of the governor without a vote” and warning of the day‑to‑day burden on families who might face longer trips to new sites. He also said the district should not assume a lottery can direct parents to a given site, noting legal constraints on parental choice.
The administration noted that the governor’s office had indicated Rochester might receive an additional $8 million, but emphasized that allocation remained unconfirmed. The board did not take action; members asked for a detailed cost breakdown and CBO capacity data to be provided before final budget decisions. The district is scheduled to vote on the 2026–2027 budget on May 12.
