Thirty-nine years of ongoing service to the Rochester community has earned the REOC the reputation as one of the outstanding Centers in the state (there are 12 such centers in New York state; one in or near almost every major city). Teachers, counselors, support staff, and administrators, with the support of SUNY Brockport and the SUNY Center for Academic and Workforce Development, together have worked to give students the opportunity to gain skills needed to function in the mainstream of society.

The history of REOC's evolution throughout the past thirty-nine years is as follows:

1964 - Ford Foundation commissioned study on urban populations related to student dropouts.

1966 - Five urban centers located across New York State .

1967 - New York State Legislature appropriated over $1 million to develop five Cooperative College Centers (CCC)

1968 - The Rochester Urban Center (RUC) opened and was administered by Monroe Community College.

1970 - SUNY College at Brockport developed its CCC and named it the Rochester Cooperative College Center (RCCC).

1973 - Merger of urban centers and CCCs took place, creating Educational Opportunity Centers (EOC).  The Rochester Educational Opportunity Center (REOC) was created and moved into its present site at 305 Andrews Street in Rochester. 

1974 to Present - Remaining true to its original mission, the REOC continously develops programs to meet the needs of its growing population and the Rochester community.