Funding of RSD and Role of Board of Directors
RSD was founded in 1876 and sustained in its early years as a private school, where generous families invested in the purchase of the farmland on the Genesee River, as well as Perkins Hall, and then later invested in new buildings to sustain the growth of the RSD. Donations and tuition supported the educational mission. Over time, the state and local school districts began to support and contract with RSD to ensure the ongoing operation of the school and the availability of educational and residential services for deaf and hard-of-hearing children.
Today, RSD has a number of complementary funding streams that help provide the core educational experience and services, maintain and enhance our physical plant, and also provide unique and empowering opportunities and supports for our students:
- Appropriation made through NYS legislation that supports schools that educate the deaf, blind, and significantly disabled – known as 4201 Schools because of the specific provision of the Education Law (§4201).
- State funds that flow through local school districts that determine with parents that RSD is the best choice to meet a student’s unique educational needs.
- Federal funds in support of the Child Nutrition Program and Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) services.
- Private funding, including individual gifts and grants for current use, as well as income from our endowment.
This history is unique and functionally means that RSD is a state-supported private school. It is one of eleven such schools that operate this way under section §4201 of the NYS Education Law, which was established in 1947. Each 4201 School operates a little differently depending on its Articles of Incorporation and Board Bylaws, as well as other historical and programmatic factors.
Unlike a school district, where school property is publicly held and managed by a local school district with an elected board, the RSD campus, buildings, and property are privately owned and managed. As such, and because of the privately-held funds, the RSD Superintendent is not only a superintendent but also a CEO. RSD operates with oversight by a Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors comprises community leaders and contributors who are elected by the self-governing Board and agree to serve on a volunteer basis. As a whole and working closely with leadership, the Board is committed to the welfare of the entire community and the long-term viability of Rochester School for the Deaf. Its roles, as defined in the bylaws, fall into three general categories:
Fiduciary
- Approve budgets while ensuring proper accounting management of public and private funds with appropriate financial controls and transparency.
- Approve Form 990 for reporting.
- Provide leadership in managing endowment, including electing investment managers, overseeing adherence to the investment policy statement, and monitoring portfolio performance.
- Oversee the sustainability and facilities of the school.
Strategic
- Ensure the mission captures full current and future intentions while providing guidance for ongoing efforts.
- Collaborate in efforts to develop, implement, and monitor strategic planning.
- Ensure resources are available to advance the mission and strategic plan.
- Build and maintain positive relationships with the stakeholders
Governance
- Select and evaluate the Superintendent/CEO as well as manage needed transitions.
- Ensure adherence to Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
- Advise and support the Superintendent/CEO, such as in establishing and following policies and forming procedures necessary for consistent and equitable performance.
As a private school, RSD is recognized as a not-for-profit and has been categorized as a 501(c)3 organization since 1942.
