Rochester Public Schools is facing critical financial challenges that, if not addressed, will result in budget cuts that will deeply impact student learning and support services. 

Today, the district faces a $19.4 million budget deficit ahead of the 2025-26 school year. Without additional funding, multiple school closures will be unavoidable, class sizes will increase, and the district will be forced to reduce educational programs and support services at every grade level.

Since 2021, the district has cut more than $21 million from the budget, including eliminating more than 150 staff positions.

• These cuts have impacted class sizes, reduced services for students and prompted a proposal to close three schools. 

• One-time dollars provided by the federal government during COVID expire this year, which means a wide range of support positions, including counselors and social workers, will no longer have funding.

• A one-time donation from Mayo Clinic helped the district delay major cuts but it does not address our long-term budget challenges. 

• State funding lags behind rising education costs. For more than 20 years, state funding has not reflected the rising costs of education. Most public school funding comes from the state budget, but Minnesota has not kept up with inflation or the cost of mandates on school districts. 

• While there was a slight increase in state funding for education last year, it was coupled with expensive mandates that limited how schools could use the funding and failed to provide the long-term financial stability we need for our students. 

Rochester Public Schools ranks last in voter-approved funding compared to districts with over 10,000 students in Minnesota. 

• Across Minnesota, 70% of school districts rely on funding from local operating levies to help cover the costs of student services and educational programs.

• Despite being the seventh largest school district in Minnesota, Rochester Public Schools ranks last in voter-approved levy funding to support school operations, compared to districts with over 10,000 students across the state.

• Rochester Public Schools receives the least per-pupil revenue ($943 per pupil) from local operating levies compared to districts of a similar size, including Bloomington ($2,157 per pupil), South Washington County ($1,994 per pupil) and Elk River ($1,465 per pupil).