Schools in the Rochester City School District are in crisis. Educators and students need action now to ensure the safety of all individuals who learn and work inside the RCSD.

We, the educators, parents, caregivers, and students of the Rochester City School District demand the district deliver on its promise to hold social emotional well-being above all else in this unprecedented time, and deliver on the following demands:

1. Increase the number of social workers in every school building and program across the district immediately, with an ultimate goal of 1:250 for general education students and 1:50 for students with intensive needs

2. Reduce class sizes (class size is defined as number of students in a classroom at any given time with a teacher) with the ultimate goal of a student:teacher ratio of 1:15 district wide

3. Serve fresh, hot, locally sourced meals to the students of the RCSD for breakfast and lunch daily

4. Expand on-site or transportation provided after school care options district wide so that every student who needs one has access to one.

5. DO NOT reintroduce SROs (school resource officers, who are police officers with the RPD) back into our school buildings. This is not a research based decision, and it should not be considered in the first line of interventions when considering school safety.

What do we know?

• The RCSD laid off hundreds of classroom teachers beginning in December 2019 and continuing until June 2021.

• The RCSD laid off 32 social workers during this same time period.

• The Rochester City Council eliminated 13 SRO positions after years of community led advocacy aimed at removing police from schools.

• The district switched food service companies and served students inedible meals which included green meat and a lack of healthy fresh fruits or vegetables.

• The state monitor Dr. Jallow has urged the Board of Education and Superintend Dr. Myers-Small to “right size” the district and max out class sizes.

• Students have not had a “normal” school year since March 2020.

What does the research show?

• Research shows small class sizes (15 or less per class) show remarkable increases in student achievement and a reduction in harmful behaviors (STAR Study)

• Research shows that Social Worker to student ratios should be 1:250 for general education students and 1:50 for students with intensive needs (Social Workers)

• Research shows high quality, nutritious meals for students correlate with higher academic achievement and better health outcomes (Student Lunches)

• Research shows that students who are enrolled in an after school program are absent from school less and are less likely to abuse drugs or alcohol (After School Programs)

• Research shows that schools with more police tend to have higher arrest and suspension rates and research shows no clear evidence that having police in schools results in increased safety or a reduction of school based crimes. (Police in Schools)

This petition is organized by Action for Quality Education, Citizen Action of New York, and the Rochester Organization of Rank and File Educators.