Residents of Rochester and neighboring Stockbridge voted Tuesday in favor of a school district merger. The vote was 291-11 in Rochester and 96-49 in Stockbridge.
Both communities needed to approve the plan in order for it to move forward within the Thursday deadline set by Act 46, a state law that offers incentives for school governance consolidation. Rochester voters faced stiff tax increases if they failed to act.
The vote means that Rochester’s middle-high school will close and students in those grades will be tuitioned to the school of their choice.
Rochester will keep its elementary school open and share teachers and programming with the elementary school in Stockbridge. Stockbridge already tuitions students in grades seven to twelve.


