Rochester, N.Y. - With the sequester looming, Rochester-area school districts are beginning to plan for across-the-board federal cuts.
The Rochester City School District said it will lose $3.4 million in the 2013-2014 budget. Alongside the $50 million budget gap it's already facing, the loss would present even more financial challenges to the district.
"The impact for us is we won't be able to provide some of the services that we want to provide our students, more academic support, more after school programs which we desperately need," Rochester Schools Superintendent Bolgen Vargas said, "It could not come at a worse time."
Vargas said such cuts would start on July 1. If a deal is not reached between the White House and Congress by Friday, there are still several months before the cuts would begin for school districts.
Suburban school districts are also preparing for a cut.
According to the New York State School Boards Association, Greece could lose $296,366, Rush Henrietta, $125,981, and Gates-Chili, $95,628.
"We depend on the federal money, even though the state is our primary source of our revenues," said Churchville-Chili Schools Superintendent Pam Kissel.
Not every school district, however, will make cuts in the same places.
For example, the East Irondequoit School District said it's ready to eliminate two full-time teaching positions.
