State Monitors: Rochester City School District (RCSD)
Summary
Part C of Chapter 56 of the laws of 2020, enacted on April 4, 2020, authorizes the Commissioner of Education to appoint a State Monitor to oversee the fiscal and academic operations of the Rochester City School DistrictÌý(RCSD).
The above legislation established the powers and duties of the State Monitor. Mr. Jaime Alicea was appointed to this position by the CommissionerÌýin July 2023. Previously, the position was held by Dr. Shelley Jallow who was appointed by the Commissioner on May 21, 2020.
Mr. Alicea’s responsibilities include:
- Working with the RCSD’s Board of Education to develop a five-year financial plan and a five-year academic improvement plan;
- Providing semi-annual reports to the Commissioner, the Board of Regents, the Governor and Legislature on the academic, fiscal, and operational status of the district, which includes all the contracts that the district enters throughout the year;
- Reviewing annually the proposed district budget to ensure that it is balanced and, to the greatest extent possible, consistent with the district’s approved academic improvement and financial plans;
- Assisting in resolving disputes and conflicts, including those between the superintendent and the Board of Education;
- Recommending cost-saving measures, including shared service agreements;
- Serving as an ex-officio member of the Board of Education who is entitled to attend all meetings of the Board of Education, including executive sessions, and to access any necessary documents and records of the district; and
- Notifying the Board and Commissioner in writing regarding violations of the financial plan.