OACES Automotive Shop Receives National Award from CARFAX

The Rochester City School District is proud to acknowledge the Office of Adult and Career Education Services (OACES) and its automotive technology shop for receiving a national award from CARFAX. While CARFAX is typically known for providing detailed vehicle history reports, its Top-Rated Service Center Award recognizes the best of the best in automotive care, something unique to an adult education program.

To qualify for this honor, a service center must maintain an elite average rating of at least 4.7 out of 5 stars from verified customers. Because CARFAX only accepts reviews from customers with a documented service history, this award is a powerful validation of the professional-grade work happening right here in the RCSD.

As a New York State Department of Labor (DOL) and Education Department (SED) approved program, the OACES Hart Street campus operates as a live shop where students perform diagnostics, repairs, and NYS inspections on real vehicles. This intensive, hands-on curriculum ensures technicians are trained in high-demand areas like brake, electrical, and diagnostic systems, leaving OACES fully industry-ready.

“I’m incredibly proud of our team, specifically our Automotive Instructor, Jim Kellman,” said Dr. Lia Festenstein, Director of OACES. “This national recognition reinforces that our core work is solid and that we are building a system that is both accountable and transformative for the Rochester community.”

Beyond technical training, OACES provides additional academic resources for adult learners. In addition to the award-winning service center, the Hart Street campus offers High School Equivalency preparation and English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes to support workforce readiness.