Rochester Classrooms Merge as Teachers Leave
Families with children in Rochester City School District schools may see combined classes and substitute teachers this year.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Administration
Live Poll
Do you think your local public schools are getting better or worse?
The Rochester City School District is consolidating classes in some schools, including fifth-grade classes at the elementary level, as it contends with hundreds of teaching vacancies. The Rochester teachers union cites 83 teachers who have resigned since July 1, 2026.
Why it matters
Families with children in Rochester City School District schools may see larger class sizes and reshuffled classrooms as the district works to fill vacancies. The union says mid-year teacher departures have been rising over the past four years, and the district has not been able to fill the openings with newly hired teachers.
The district has 83 teacher resignations since July 1 according to the Rochester teachers union, and it has hundreds of open teaching positions. Substitutes and teachers who have not completed certification are being brought in to fill some of those classrooms.
The players
Rochester City School District
The public school district serving Rochester, New York, which runs the elementary and secondary schools affected by the class consolidations.
Rochester Teachers Association
The teachers union representing Rochester educators, which cites the resignation count and is in contract negotiations with the district.
The details
The district is consolidating some classes, including fifth-grade sections at the elementary level, which combines students into fewer rooms. To cover vacancies, it is hiring substitutes and teachers who have not completed state certification. The union attributes the consolidations to a teacher departure rate worse than in prior years, and says the district has hundreds of openings it cannot fill with new teachers. The Rochester teachers union and the district are currently in contract negotiations, which is the setting for these staffing disputes.
Timeline
July 1, 2026: Start of the count of 83 teacher resignations.
Last four years: Mid-year teacher resignations have increased.
November 6, 2026: Article published on consolidations and departures.
The Home Front
This follows a four-year rise in mid-year teacher resignations that the Rochester teachers union has documented in the district. Families in the city are now seeing that trend show up as consolidated classrooms and vacancies rather than as a slow background change.
If your child attends a Rochester City School District school, check with the school about whether their class is being consolidated or whether a substitute is assigned. Ask the district what certification status any new teacher holds, since some classes are being staffed by teachers who have not completed certification.
The takeaway
Mid-year staffing changes can affect class size and who teaches your child, so it is worth asking your school directly about consolidations and teacher assignments. Keep a record of any notices the district sends home so you can follow changes as the contract negotiations proceed.
What happens next
The Rochester teachers union and the district are in ongoing contract negotiations, and the staffing picture may shift as those talks continue.
Further reading
For broader context on how districts handle staffing and administrative decisions, see Administration coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by RochesterFirst.
Live Poll
Do you think your local public schools are getting better or worse?
