Interim district leadership told the Rochester School Board on July 10 that staff have identified redundant or unused software subscriptions and programs that do not comply with state privacy rules or bullying regulations and that the district plans to cancel those contracts and reallocate savings to schools.

In a report to the full board the speaker, identifying work done with Doctor Nichols, said staff found “redundancy in software” and some programs “purchased but never actually implemented or being used.” The speaker added that some programs “don’t align with either state privacy laws or meet the regulations for bullying in the state,” and said those would be canceled.

The superintendent’s report framed the work as part of a broader effort to align resources with student needs. The speaker said the savings could be “money that we can then, in turn, directly put right back into the schools to meet the needs of students.” During the report the superintendent referenced subscription costs in the tens of thousands of dollars, citing examples phrased in the meeting as “$50, $60, even $70,000.”

The superintendent also described an initial effort to “calm the waters” and to focus the district on forward-looking priorities, noting meetings with principals, staff and city officials to identify immediate opportunities for reallocating resources. The report mentioned Salmon Falls School as an example of community pride and noted the district is examining grants and the budget to better match resources to need.

No formal board action was taken on the cancellations July 10; the superintendent said specific changes (contracts to cancel and amounts to be reallocated) are being identified and would be brought forward in future staff recommendations. Board members asked no substantive follow-up questions during the report period.

What happens next: district staff will continue reviewing contracts and subscriptions and will bring proposals for contract cancellations and budget reallocations to a future meeting for board approval.