Rochester Public Schools approve $44 million realignment plan for 2027‑28

The Rochester Public Schools board voted to implement a district‑wide realignment that will combine Churchill Elementary and Hoover Elementary into a single K‑5 school, relocate Career and Technical Education classes to other high schools, move the Early Learning Program to Gage Elementary, and shift the Middle School Alternative Learning Center to the former Churchill site. The plan, costing over $44 million, will be funded through long‑term facilities maintenance, reserves and other sources, with construction expected to begin next summer and the changes completed by the start of the 2027‑28 school year.

Community reaction is mixed. Some parents, such as Connie White, worry the merger will inconvenience families near Churchill and reduce use of existing amenities, while board chair Cathy Nathan and other officials say class sizes will remain unchanged, the district will save on future maintenance costs, and the transition will ultimately benefit students.