| Rochester City School District | |
|---|---|
| Type and location | |
| Type | Public |
| Grades | Pre-kindergarten, K-12, Incarcerated Youth High School, Adult Evening High School |
| Established | 1841 |
| Location | Rochester, New York |
| District Info | |
| Superintendent | Bolgen Vargas (interim) |
| Schools | 60 pre-K sites 40 elementary 19 secondary 1 Montessori 1 program for young mothers 1 family/adult learning center[1] |
| Budget | US$693.7 million (2010–2011)[2] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 32,000 children 10,000 adults[3] |
| Teachers | 3,900 (2010–2011)[4] |
| Staff | 300 administrators 2,300 support personnel (2010–2011)[4] |
| Student-teacher ratio | 8.1:1 (2011)[1] |
| Other information | |
| Unions | NYSUT, Rochester Teachers Association |
| Website | www.rcsdk12.org |
The Rochester City School District is a public school district that serves approximately 32,000 children and 10,000 adults in the city of Rochester, New York,[3] with over 6,000 employees[4] and a 2010–2011 operating budget of $693.7 million (approximately $16,500 per student).[2]
The average class size ranges from 18 to 25 students.[1] Rochester City Schools consistently post below-average results when compared to the rest of New York State.[5]
On November 13, 2007, Jean-Claude Brizard, an executive in the New York City School District, was named Superintendent of Schools, effective January 1, 2008, succeeding Interim Superintendent and former Fairport Central School District Superintendent Dr. William Cala, who had succeeded Superintendent Dr. Manuel J. Rivera.[6][7]
Contents |
The school district is run by a board of education that sets school policy and approves school spending. The board hires a superintendent under contract to carry out its policies.
The board of education consists of eight members, elected biennially, who serve staggered four-year terms.
School board members for the 2010–2011 school year are:[8]
| Member | Position | Term |
|---|---|---|
| Melisza Campos | Member | January 1, 2008 – December 2011 |
| José Cruz | Vice President | January 1, 2010 – December 2013 |
| Cynthia Elliott | Member | January 1, 2010 – December 2013 |
| Malik Evans | President | January 1, 2008 – December 2011 |
| Sophie Gallivan | Student representative | September 2010 – June 2011 |
| Willa Powell | Member | January 1, 2008 – December 2011 |
| Van Henri White | Member | January 1, 2010 – December 2013 |
| Allen Williams | Member | January 1, 2008 – December 2011 |
The superintendent carries out board policy from the district's administrative offices on Broad Street in the city of Rochester. Beneath the superintendent are the following executives[9]
All school chiefs report to the Deputy Superintendent of Teaching and Learning.
| Name | Tenure | Name | Tenure | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaac F. Mack | 1841 – 1845 | James S. Wishart | January 1, 1961 – August 31, 1961 (acting) | |
| Samuel L. Selden | January 1, 1846 – November 1, 1846 | Robert L. Springer | September 1, 1961 – May 31, 1963 | |
| Belden R. McAlpine | November 2, 1846 – 1847 | Herman R. Goldberg | June 1, 1963 – July 31, 1963 (acting) August 1, 1963 – March 1, 1971 |
|
| Daniel Holbrook | 1847 – 1850 1857 – 1858 1862 – 1864 |
John M. Franco | March 1, 1971 – June 16, 1971 (acting) June 17, 1971 – 1980 |
|
| Reuben D. Jones | 1850 – 1856 | Laval S. Wilson | 1980 – 1985 | |
| Isaac S. Hobbie | 1856 – 1857 | Peter J. McWalters | 1985 (acting) 1986 – 1992 |
|
| Philip H. Curtis | 1858 – 1861 | Manuel J. Rivera | 1992 – 1994 2003 – 2007 |
|
| Charles N. Simmons | 1864 – 1869 1876 – 1878 1881 – 1882 |
Loretta Johnson | 1994 – 1995 (acting) | |
| Sylvanus A. Ellis | 1869 – 1875 1882 – 1892 |
Clifford B. Janey | 1995 – 2002 | |
| Alonzo L. Mabbett | 1878 – 1881 | William C. Cala | 2007 – December 31, 2007 | |
| Milton Noyes | 1892 – 1900 | Jean-Claude Brizard | January 1, 2008 – May 13, 2011 | |
| Charles B. Gilbert | 1901 – 1909 | Bolgen Vargas (interim) | May 16, 2011 – present | |
| Clarence F. Carroll | 1903 – 1911 | |||
| Herbert S. Weet | 1911 – 1933 | |||
| James M. Spinning | 1934 – November 1, 1954 | |||
| Howard C. Seymour | November 1, 1954 – December 31, 1960 |
The district operates 39 elementary schools, 19 secondary schools, one adult/family learning center, and several alternative education programs.
Most elementary schools are grades K–6, some also offer Pre-Kindergarten.
Secondary schools are grades 7–12.
In 2007, the New York State Education Department named 14 Rochester elementary schools among the state’s “most improved” schools in English language arts and/or math. Newsweek ranked Wilson Magnet High School 49th among the nation’s top 100 high schools based on advanced curriculum.
The Children's Institute, a non-profit children’s advocacy organization, has ranked the district's pre-K program one of the best in the nation.
In 2003, a plan to redesign the grade-level configuration was approved by the board of education. It changed the district from one of elementary schools (preK–5), middle schools (6–8) and high schools (9–12) to one of elementary schools (pre-K–6) and secondary schools (7–12). The plan was implemented in stages over four years.