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Rochester School District board meeting, Aug 26, 2026

56 min

Budget cuts and layoffs ▶ 2:00Enrollment ▶ 2:00
Meeting video · YouTubeRochester School DistrictAug 26, 2026Watch on YouTube ↗Opens at 44:56 in a new tab

Click any moment below to jump the video to that second. Video length 56 min.

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What happened

What happened at this meeting

Rochester School Board approves 26⁠-⁠27 budget and REA collective bargaining agreement 43:42

  • The board held a budget hearing that began with the 26⁠-⁠27 budget, then passed a budget extension and approved the budget. 1:49
  • A district staff member said the general fund budget projected revenues of just over $42 million and expenditures of $42.7 million, and a speaker said current projections showed overspending of about $700,000. 2:00
  • The board also approved a water testing action plan and an extension of the interim superintendent contract through June 30th of 2028. 47:15
  • The board approved the REA collective bargaining agreement, with one board member abstaining due to a conflict of interest. 48:55

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Item by item (15)
  1. Opening and agenda additions 0:00
    • Grant Rodeheaver called the August 26th meeting to order, and the board recited the pledge and took roll. 0:13
    • Grant Rodeheaver proposed adding the REA collective bargaining agreements to the agenda as new business letter M. 0:42
    • Grant Rodeheaver announced the items were added. ~1:35
  2. Budget hearing 1:35
    • A district staff member said the general fund had a beginning fund balance of $4.5 million, revenues of just over $42 million and expenditures of $42.7 million, and said the budget was not sustainable for too many more years. 2:00
    • A speaker said current projections showed the district overspending by about $700,000, and the staff member said the general fund budget extension would allow spending of up to $42.9 million. 11:02
    • The staff member said the capital projects fund needed about $200,000 more for the new water system. 16:16
  3. Public comment on agenda items 17:55
    • A speaker at public comment described the recent contract negotiations as collaborative and said they produced a 3-year agreement. 18:21
  4. Consent agenda 21:47
    • Grant Rodeheaver asked for a motion to approve the consent agenda, which included board meeting minutes, human resource updates, vouchers and payroll, and contracts. 21:47
  5. Business report 22:30
    • A district staff member said the general fund ended July at $2.1 million, below the minimum fund balance policy range of $3.2 to $4.5. 23:23
    • The staff member said the state provides about 4% of funding in June and 10.5% and 11.5% in July and August. 24:45
  6. Superintendent report 25:16
    • The speaker giving the superintendent report said 130 students were currently in the class of 2039 and described Kindergarten Roundup. 28:28
    • The speaker said the RMS roof was completed and three more leaks appeared in the RHS irrigation loop. 30:31
    • The speaker said 9th grade first day is September 2nd and all grades start at the high school on September 3rd. 36:03
  7. Policy first reading and education report 39:36
    • Grant Rodeheaver said five policies were presented for first reading and would be ready for adoption at the next meeting. 39:36
    • A speaker said the minimum basic education report required no vote and showed the district was compliant. 40:19
  8. Water system engineering contract 40:53
    • Grant Rodeheaver asked for a motion to approve $359,575 for architectural and engineering services for the water system, funded through the capital projects levy. 41:54
    • The motion passed. ~42:20
  9. Budget extensions and budget adoption 42:20
    • The board considered Resolution 2614 for the '25-'26 budget extension and Resolution 2613 for the capital budget extension. 42:20
    • Grant Rodeheaver asked for a motion to approve Resolution Number 2615 for the 26⁠-⁠27 budget. 43:42
    • Both extensions passed and the budget was approved. 42:57
  10. Out of endorsement assignments 44:02
    • A motion was made to approve Resolution 2616 for assignment of teachers to classes outside their area of endorsement. 44:02
    • Grant Rodeheaver announced the resolution was approved. 44:46
  11. Donations 44:56
    • The board considered a $2,500 donation toward RHS graduation expenses for the class of 2026. 44:56
    • The board also considered an anonymous $1,000 donation for RMS art supplies and cross-country uniforms and a $2,381.42 donation for the girls basketball program. 45:28
    • Grant Rodeheaver announced the motion passed. 45:21
  12. Surplus items 46:32
    • Grant Rodeheaver described the surplus items as a long list of old Chromebooks and moved to approve them. 46:32
    • The surplus items were approved. ~46:58
  13. Interim superintendent contract extension 47:15
    • Grant Rodeheaver said the extension would run through June 30th of 2028. 47:15
    • The extension was approved unanimously. 48:23
  14. Collective bargaining agreement 48:30
    • One board member said they would abstain from the vote due to a conflict of interest. 48:55
    • One board member said a 3-year contract was what they had wanted all along because it helps set the budget. 50:03
    • Grant Rodeheaver announced the agreement was approved. 50:40
  15. Water testing action plan 50:45
    • A speaker said 250 fixtures were tested and 8 came back above 16 parts per billion with lead and were turned off. 51:34
    • The speaker said another 58 fixtures could be retested or replaced and that OSPI has a grant that will pay for all of the replacement fixtures. 51:54
    • Grant Rodeheaver announced the action plan was approved. 56:03

Written by software from the meeting's transcript and checked sentence by sentence against it.

Who spoke

Who spoke

We can’t yet tell who is speaking at this board’s meetings.

Video: posted by the district as “Rochester School Board Business Meeting 8-26-26”