The Rochester City School District is forecasting a $74 million budget gap for next school year, and Superintendent Lesli Myers-Small Tuesday night ordered each school and department in the district to cut its budget by 20 percent.
Dr. Myers-Small said the district is getting an estimated $128 million cut in state aid because of the coronavirus pandemic, on top of cuts in basic aid like food and transportation funding. She outlined the information at a School Board Finance Committee meeting.
In addition to budget cuts across the board, the superintendent declared a hiring freeze and substitute teacher freeze. She said fiscal practices and commitments will be reviewed and the district will look for opportunities for greater fiscal oversight of its operations.
Dr. Myers-Small said in a statement “My commitment is steadfast and my administration and I are taking all necessary steps, however uncomfortable they may be, to restore the financial stability of this District. In this endeavor, we will move FORWARD. TOGETHER. NOW.”
The district also announced that Chief Communications Officer Carlos Garcia was leaving the district, effective immediately.
These cuts could be amended if Congress approves another stimulus plan funding the losses of state and local governments to the pandemic. Otherwide, the district’s teacher and operating unions are bracing for more bad news.