Rochester City School District work session, date not confirmed yet
3 h 31 min
This board doesn’t post agenda times. Click a board member to jump to where they first speak; we list only members whose voice our check named. Video length 3 h 31 min.
- Who spoke · first speaks at
What happened
What happened at this meeting
Rochester school board approves Resolutions 155 and 156 3:29:45
- The board heard a facilities update on the Rochester Schools Modernization Program. 7:22
- The board voted to fast-track several policy updates for a vote at the August business meeting. 1:21:14
- Resolutions 124 through 139 moved forward to the consent agenda except 127, 135 and 136. 2:23:24
Until Nov 4, lines where a board member takes a side don't name the member. Why →
Item by item (11)
- Opening and agenda changes 6:17
- School modernization program update 7:22
- Kareem Ba McCullough asked which parts of the project would be at greatest risk if $15 to $20 million in escalation costs occurred, and the presenter said those decisions would be made by the district. 25:52
- Isaiah Santiago asked whether workers must be Rochester residents, and the presenter said there is no such requirement but there is a regional requirement if bonds are issued through Comida. 45:14
- Proclamation discussion 51:40
- Policy review and fast-tracking 54:28
- The general counsel reviewed updates from NISPPAC and recommended fast-tracking required updates. 54:28
- One board member said policy 5460 should be fast-tracked because of a change in state law on mandated reporting. 1:07:22
- The superintendent suggested taking action on a policy update at the first meeting in September instead of the August 27th meeting, and Camille Simmons called for a motion to place the policies for a vote at the September meeting. 1:26:25
- Camille Simmons said the items brought forward had been fast-tracked for a vote at the August business meeting. 1:22:21
- Board town hall scheduling 1:34:53
- Camille Simmons called for a motion to move the board town hall discussion to the September work session. 1:34:53
- Receivership schools update 1:35:44
- A district staff member said all 6 receivership schools met their demonstrable improvement targets in '24-'25 and that 6 of the 7 schools are eligible to exit receivership as early as June 2027. 1:37:10
- One board member asked what each school is in receivership for and said the administration should find other ways to get the information to parents. 1:45:04
- Beatriz LeBron-Harris asked for clarity on the status of School 17, and a staff member said it is a CSIB school. 1:51:32
- Academic resolutions review 2:00:03
- Beatriz LeBron-Harris said Resolution 128 asks the board to approve $52,500 for a contract that started July 1st, above the $35,000 policy threshold. 2:01:41
- A district staff member said there were contract processing problems with the company. 2:06:01
- Kareem Ba McCullough asked about an additional $52,000 in Resolution 124, and a staff member cited an increase in multilingual students using interpretation services. 2:09:42
- Camille Simmons said the resolutions were moving forward to the consent agenda except 127, 135 and 136. 2:23:24
- Parent center update 2:24:02
- A district staff member said the parent center at 200 Genesee Street would include a food pantry and clothing closet. 2:24:41
- A staff member announced a back-to-school jam on August 22nd from 11 AM to 2 PM. 2:33:53
- A staff member said only one parent center would open this year to reduce expenditures. 2:40:02
- Resolutions review 2:48:35
- Dr. Heather Feinman asked why the district is paying Rochester Regional Health for billable services, and a staff member said a different provider receives in-kind space instead of payment. 2:51:30
- Kareem Ba McCullough asked about increases in Resolution 143, and a staff member said the district anticipates a 16% increase in healthcare costs. 2:57:34
- Beatriz LeBron-Harris said questions on 142, 143, 144, 150, 151 and 154 would be submitted to the board question log. 3:01:07
- Progress monitoring report 3:01:53
- A district staff member said the progress monitoring report would be discussed at the business meeting next week. 3:02:08
- Police presence resolutions 3:03:01
- The superintendent said the resolution provides a 6-month contract from September 8th through March 8th, with the option to renew up to 4 additional 1-month terms that would need board approval. 3:05:58
- Beatriz LeBron-Harris asked for a legal memo on Education Law 2801 and regulation 155.17, and the general counsel said the general counsel was not aware of anything preventing the board from acting. 3:20:57
Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.
What was said
What board members said, in order
We do have a high level of of poverty in Rochester and a high level of, uh, missed opportunities for our young people after high school.Isaiah Santiago · Commissioner46:32
I know we're trying to save money and that's why we have just one center opening. But, um, I, I remember how convenient it was when I lived over near Webster Avenue, um, enrolling my first child in school because there was an actual— there, there were satellite offices throughout the city.Amy Maloy · Vice President2:43:52
Other meetings
Other meetings of this board
Video: posted by the district as “Consideration of Resolutions & Board Work Session | August 18, 2026”