Brian Sharp and Justin Murphy – Rochester Democrat and Chronicle USA TODAY NETWORK – in the D@C on 4/2/2020 on page A4
A state bailout of the Rochester City School District appears likely with word on Wednesday that lawmakers would authorize a $35 million spin-up in aid.
That is essentially an advance on future allocations, repayable over a period of years, and would apply to the 2019-20 budget.
State funding to all districts will be flat from 2019-20, said Assemblyman Harry Bronson, D-Rochester.
That plan, if adopted, would appear to address the district’s immediate financial shortfall and deliver a victory to Superintendent Terry Dade, who lobbied intensively for the funding. The state budget also appears likely to include a fiscal and academic monitor for three years, with approval and veto power over money and programmatic decisions, to be appointed by the state education commissioner without input from Mayor Lovely Warren.