ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester City School District board is holding a public speaker forum on Tuesday night, where tax form issues, last year’s payroll issues, and the district’s budget may take center stage.
Students, parents, community members, and staff are invited to speak or submit their written comments. Rochester Teachers Association President Adam Urbanski is expected to be one of the speakers. Ahead of the meeting, he shared the latest on the issues with W2 forms mailed to staff.
“About 200 teachers got the wrong kind of W2,” Urbanski said. “The district says that it’s being resolved, but we’re not sure what kind of complications those 200 people will encounter. So we have hired a tax attorney specialist to advise us on how to advise the teachers.”
What’s the district saying about the tax form issues?
As News10NBC has covered, some district employees had inaccuracies in their tax forms sent to them. The district’s robocall to employees indicated that boxes 12, 13, and 14 might be missing information or contain incorrect data. These boxes typically include details on withholdings such as 401(k) contributions and flexible spending accounts.
The district says that, out of 6,000 employees, fewer than 185 people needed to get corrected tax forms. The district is currently processing the corrected forms, consistent with IRS requirements. In a statement, the district said:
“Claims suggesting widespread tax document errors do not reflect the scope or nature of the issue. The District reviews and resolves any individual payroll concerns directly with employees to ensure accuracy and protect confidentiality.”
What’s the latest on payroll issues?
RCSD says the payroll system has been stable since November and employees have gotten paid on time since then. That wasn’t the case last summer and part of the fall.
As News10NBC has covered, payroll issues started after the district transitioned to the software Oracle last July. Over 100 salaried teachers and around 700 hourly non-teaching employees went unpaid in the summer. When the issues continued into the new school year, employees rallied outside the district’s office to demand a solution and the NYSUT union filed a lawsuit. The payroll issues have been the subject of multiple school board meetings.
In a statement, RCSD Board President Camille Simmons said the board has ordered the administration to do a “comprehensive audit” of the Oracle system:
“Administration is also undertaking a feasibility review and preparing a formal Request for Proposals (RFP). Any decision regarding a future system will follow a transparent procurement process and require formal Board approval. The Board’s expectation is not only short-term stabilization, but a reliable, long-term solution that restores confidence and ensures operational integrity.”
What’s the latest on the district budget
The district is dealing with an unbalanced budget proposal. The preliminary budget announced last month shows a $50 million deficit. The district says its focusing on “fiscal stability while protecting classroom instruction and student support,” but Urbanski is concerned about potential cuts affecting teachers and schools.
“If they really announce such a deficit, it will cause disruptions,” Urbanski said. “We’re advising teachers to put in for transfers in order to increase their options in case there are disruptions.”
Transfer requests would allow teachers to move within the district. The district, however, does not anticipate the situation to be as severe as Urbanski suggests. The school board has been working to address these issues, and Superintendent Dr. Eric Jay Rosser is expected to present the budget next Thursday. The budget will then undergo state review, public hearings, and city council consideration, with a vote expected in the summer.
How to sign up to speak
Those wishing to speak at the forum must register by noon on Tuesday. Anyone interested should call the Board Office at (585) 262-8525 or email boardofeducation@rcsdk12.org.
All board meetings take place at Conference Room 3A/B on 131 West Broad St. Except for public hearings, speaker forums are the sole opportunity for the community to address the Board.
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