The Rochester City School District (RCSD) is chronically underfunded. This underfunding, year after year, has led to instability, high turnover, and dysfunction within the District. These problems are significant and need to be addressed but they are symptoms of the root problem – not having enough money to provide basic education services to the children of Rochester NY.
This is shown by the fact that other districts with a similar level of funding have equally poor graduation rates. The graduation rate for the school year 2018-19 was:
– 63% in RCSD,
– 64% in Syracuse, and
– 65% in Buffalo.
The highest court in NY state agreed in 2006 that the system of funding schools through basic operating aid (known as Foundation Aid) in NY state was preventing districts which rely most heavily on this aid from providing a ‘sound and basic education’. The Foundation Aid formula was revised and was supposed to be rolled out in stages between 2007 and 2011. It was not fully rolled out. The formula would have provided more money for students based on need.
In 2021 NY State finally committed to fully funding the foundation aid formula with funding increasing each year until it it is finally implemented in school year 2023-24.
The full funding of this formula will make a huge difference to the RCSD, however, it will take years to address the issues that chronic underfunding has created. Years of underinvestment will take long term solutions to create stability and support for students to provide the educational experience they deserve.
Find out more about some of the issues regarding the funding of the RCSD: