The Rochester City Council has approved the 2018 City Budget and City School District budgets. The vote for the city budget Tuesday night was unanimous. The school budget passed by a vote of 8-1, with council Finance Committee Chair Carolee Conklin voting “no.”
Conklin said in a letter to council members that she was voting against the budget because the city school district is failing its students. She says the graduation rate in unacceptable and the district should also be downsizing since enrollment is declining.
School Board President Van White said the district is making progress, and he encouraged council members to run for school board if they think they can do a better job.