Rochester School Superintendent Bolgen Vargas is headed to Albany on Thursday to lobby for more money for city schools. He will be meeting with Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie and State Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos to continue his push for a $36 million increase for Rochester schools as part of the upcoming state budget.
Vargas says the increased state aid would help the district meet a budget challenge of $66 million in the upcoming school year. That includes a $41 million gap which Vargas says is related to the expansion of charter schools, employee benefit costs and rising transportation costs.
He says the district also intends to shift an additional $25 million in resources to invest in student achievement.
Vargas says that all State Senate and Assembly members who represent Rochester have sent letters to their chamber leaders urging support of the district's funding request.
