Rochester Schools approves major facility reorganization plan unanimously
The Rochester Public Schools board unanimously approved a comprehensive facilities strategy on August 5 designed to address declining enrollment and aging buildings while maintaining elementary school boundaries and keeping property taxes stable.
The board voted unanimously to adopt the Facility Strategy Recommendation and Financing Plan, which represents a significant restructuring of how the district uses its buildings to serve more than 17,000 students. The plan consolidates Churchill and Hoover elementary schools into a single K-5 school at the Hoover building, relocates career and technical education (CTECH) programming from Rochester Community and Technical College to three high schools—Century, John Marshall, and Mayo—and provides permanent, improved facilities for three specialized programs serving the district's highest-need students.
Board members emphasized that the plan balances fiscal responsibility with equity. "We are facing enrollment-driven financial pressures," said Dr. Cook, "and we have a fiduciary obligation to optimize the utilization of our available facilities." Director Barlow noted that board members represent all 17,000 children in the district, not just individual neighborhoods, and must make decisions based on what serves the entire community rather than what generates the most emails.
A key focus of the plan is improving conditions for students in alternative and specialized programs. Chair Nathan highlighted concerns from stakeholders about the current Phoenix Academy facility, saying the physical setting "sends a message about how students are valued." The plan calls for relocating Phoenix Academy to a renovated Education Service Center and providing permanent facilities for the Alternative Learning Center and Rochester Academy for Independent Living at the Churchill building.
The board also unanimously approved the 2026-2027 Student Handbook, which Chief of Schools Eric Johnson said has been revised for clarity and accessibility. The handbook now aligns with the district's language access plan, aiming for a fifth-grade reading level even for documents intended for adults. Board members praised the handbook as a useful resource for families and staff, with Superintendent Pekel committing to ongoing dialogue for future improvements.
The district also reviewed its 2027 meeting calendar, maintaining two meetings per month at 5:30 p.m., and discussed a draft multi-year board calendar aligned with the upcoming RPS 2030 Strategic Plan.
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Votes (2)
Facility Strategy Recommendation and Financing Plan
Dissent: None recorded
Moved by Unknown [6:57 p.m.] · Seconded by Unknown [6:57 p.m.]
The board considered a comprehensive plan to address declining enrollment, deferred maintenance, and financial pressures by optimizing facility utilization. Key components included relocating CTECH programming to high schools, combining Churchill and Hoover into a K-5 school, relocating early learning classrooms, and providing permanent, improved facilities for the Alternative Learning Center (ALC), Rochester Academy for Independent Living (RAIL), and Phoenix Academy. The plan emphasizes maintaining elementary attendance boundaries and achieving cost-neutrality without increasing property taxes. Board members acknowledged the difficult trade-offs, particularly for the Churchill/Hoover community, but affirmed the fiduciary and ethical responsibility to serve all 17,000+ students and right-size the district for future needs, highlighting the significant improvements for highest-needs student programs and the cost-effectiveness compared to other options.
2026-2027 Student Handbook
Dissent: None recorded
Moved by Unknown [7:27 p.m.] · Seconded by Unknown [7:27 p.m.]
Chief of Schools Eric Johnson presented the proposed student handbook, noting revisions for clarity, organization, and alignment with Minnesota School Boards Association model language and existing district practices, such as student health seizure plans. The handbook also incorporated elements of the district’s language access plan, aiming for a more easily understandable format. Board members praised its clarity and usefulness as a resource for students, families, and staff. The superintendent committed to ongoing dialogue for further revisions to enhance detail and policy linkage.
Notable Quotes (5)
This proposal strikes that balance. Um we are facing enrollment-driven financial pressures. And at that time um or because of that, we have a fiduciary obligation, in my mind, to optimize the utilization of our available facilities. And also to carry on with divesting assets that no longer serve our mission. Um crucially, this plan will enhance our operational efficiency while maintaining the current elementary school attendance boundaries. This offers meaningful stability to the families um and our current our current families while looking ahead and retaining some elementary capacity for expected population growth in the northwest.
But, upon being elected to the school board, I quickly came to realize that we don't have the leisure of simply representing a particular school and or neighborhood, uh but we have a shared responsibility uh for over 17,000 uh children. I don't know how many families that represents. And a fiduciary responsibility that uh we would be negligent if we simply made decisions based on what was popular and or uh what elicited or garnered the majority of emails uh and the passion in which uh those individuals uh presented.
And it was one of the the RAIL uh stakeholders who said the physical setting sends a message about how students are valued. And what our Phoenix Academy, our highest needs students have had to go without for years in that setting. The description consistently that people feel people say it feels like a prison. And that students who have needs for the services in that facilities, their parents won't send them there because of that impression. That has to change.
This version of the board will call that we you reviewed a language access plan that commits to have all of our documents in the most easily understandable format possible for the intended users. And in practical terms that aims at a fifth grade reading level including for documents that are for adults.
Unfortunately, um nobody in this room or outside of this room aside from the parents involved have control over whether or not they read the handbook or not, but I would have really appreciated having had something like this when my kids were were going through school. Um I think it could be very helpful, very good discussion between parents and students so that everybody knows exactly what those expectations are, even if they do it in small chunks.
Ordinances & Resolutions (10)
The district's upcoming strategic plan, which will frame the board's agenda for future years.
A long-term calendar outlining major issues and performance measure updates for the school board.
A resolution to approve a coordinated facility strategy and its financing framework for Independent School District 535.
The official handbook for students, families, and staff outlining expectations, rights, and responsibilities, updated for clarity and legal alignment.
An assessment tool used to identify students at risk in reading and math, determining eligibility for Summer Academy.
A plan to ensure students with disabilities receive specialized instruction and related services, supported by the push-in model in Summer Academy.
A communication tool used to send Summer Academy invitations to families in their native languages.
Guidelines used to update sections of the student handbook to ensure current legal guidance and best practices.
Grant funding the student internship program, designed to introduce high school students to the teaching profession and offer tuition support.
Grant used for career exploration activities in the middle school Summer Academy program.
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Other Topics from This Document
Summer Academy 2026 Review and Future Planning
2026-2027 Annual Board Calendar Draft (ABCD) Development
2027 School Board Meeting Dates Review
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