Proposed RPS budget cuts includes layoffs

(ABC 6 News) – The Rochester Public Schools board is proposing to cut more than 140 positions as part of its budget cuts.

Back in February, the board approved cutting 14 million dollars.

Even though many positions are getting cut, the impact is expected to be minimal for staff.

Superintendent Kent Pekel said a majority of the cuts were made to move current staff to new positions.

“Even though we’re cutting more than 140 positions from what we call the general fund, schools found some other funds to pick up some of those positions.”

Superintendent Pekel said the district notified staff members who would be affected by the change months ago.

Despite that, they couldn’t save every position as just under ten employees will be laid off.

“That still doesn’t make it easy because if you love your job teaching third grade in this school and that job was cut and you need to move somewhere else, that’s still a big deal but we are glad that the vast majority of people whose positions are being eliminated were able to find other jobs in Rochester.”

The RPS school board will vote on the budget on June 20.

If they want to make any changes, they will have to do it by the state’s deadline of July 1.