The Budget, Finance and Governance Committee approved an intermunicipal agreement with the Rochester City School District to implement a children's savings account (CSA) program that will enroll students at kindergarten entry. The item passed by voice vote.

Council members and the mayor discussed program design choices. The administration and program leads said the agreement before the committee concerns data sharing and the district’s requirement to provide personal identifying information necessary for enrollment and tracking; it does not, by itself, prevent the city from later enrolling charter or private school students.

Mayor Evans (unnamed in transcript but referenced as mayor by the committee chair) and committee members said their shared goal is to enroll as many Rochester children as possible; the mayor said the city will work to raise private funds to expand enrollment. Council members requested written answers to three financial questions: the total expected cost to enroll all Rochester City School District (RCSD) students, the additional amount required to enroll all charter students, and the total privately raised funds to date and pending requests.

The committee also received disclosures from two council members employed by the school district; they were allowed to participate. Members discussed whether the program should start at birth or kindergarten; the committee said the adopted approach is kindergarten entry for fiscal and reporting reasons.

Discussion only: questions centered on fundraising needed to cover all students (including charter students) and on clarity that the intermunicipal agreement is for data sharing, not an enrollment‑limiting instrument. Direction: staff to provide written cost estimates for enrolling RCSD students and for adding charter students, and to report amounts of private funds already raised and pending. Formal action: agreement with RCSD authorized by committee.

Less critical: staff cited St. Paul and Aurora, Ill., as models and said the city is close to selecting a bank partner for account administration; all funds to expand enrollment are being raised privately under current plan.