REPORTER TOM LEHMAN WAS AT TODAY’S ANNOUNCEMENT. THANK YOU. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS RETURNING LOCAL CONTROL OVER HARRISBURG SCHOOLS BACK TO ITS ELECTED BOARD OF DIRECTORS AND ENDING THE DISTRICT’S RECEIVERSHIP, STARTED IN 2019 AFTER TROUBLES WITH FOLLOWING THROUGH ON A STATE ORDERED FINANCIAL RECOVERY PLAN. THIS MILESTONE IS A RESULT OF HARD WORK AND COMMITMENT. EVEN WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO VOTE, SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SAID. THEY PICKED UP VALUABLE GUIDANCE AT MEETINGS AS THEY PREPARE TO HAVE MORE SAY ON A DISTRICT WITH A ROUGHLY $212 MILLION BUDGET THAT MAY REQUIRE A TAX INCREASE. I THINK AS A TEAM AS A WHOLE, WE’LL HAVE TO MAKE THE BEST DECISION FOR THE CHILD. AND UNFORTUNATELY FOR US TO CONTINUE TO STAY IN LOCAL CONTROL, HARRISBURG SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS BALANCED ITS BUDGET IN RECENT YEARS WITH A LOT OF FEDERAL DOLLARS THAT APPEAR TO BE EXPIRING. STILL, THE ACTING EDUCATION SECRETARY SAID SHE BELIEVES THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD WILL BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE CHALLENGE OF KEEPING THE DISTRICT’S FINANCIAL FOOTING IN GOOD SHAPE. THEY ARE PERHAPS A LITTLE UNIQUE IN THE FACT THAT SO MUCH OF THE PROPERTY IN IN THEIR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS TAX EXEMPT, BUT THAT’S SOMETHING THAT HAS BEEN HERE AND THAT THAT THEY ARE WELL EQUIPPED TO, TO DEAL WITH. THE DISTRICT ALSO RELIES ON A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF FUNDING AND AID FROM THE COMMONWEALTH, SOMETHING STATE LAWMAKERS SAID AT A TUESDAY PRESS CONFERENCE THEY WOULD CONTINUE TO F
Harrisburg School District to exit receivership
The district is set to be back under the control of its board members June 17.
Updated: 6:22 PM EDT Jun 3, 2025
The Harrisburg School District will soon be back under the control of its board members.The Pennsylvania Department of Education announced the district will be leaving receivership.”What a moment for Harrisburg City schools, for public education in general and for the future of all of our learners,” acting Secretary of Education Carrie Rowe said during a news conference on Tuesday. “This is a historic milestone. Harrisburg is the first ever district in Pennsylvania to emerge from receivership.”The district was first put under state control in 2019 to improve its finances and poor academic results.It was originally supposed to end in 2022, but the district asked to keep a court-appointed receiver for another three years. The receivership is now set to end June 17. “Over the past decade or so, this district has done the hard work in regaining financial solvency, in restoring trust, and in rebuilding stability for over 6,400 of its learners. What once felt impossible has become a model for what is possible in this process when collaboration and dedication meet each other,” Rowe said.”This is an opportunity to celebrate the significant financial and operational progress the District has made over the last six years since entering Receivership,” Dr. Benjamin Henry, Superintendent of Schools, said. “There is still significant work to be done, particularly in relation to academic achievement for our students and continued progress on financial and operational stability.”The district will enter a five-year monitoring phase with the state, according to Henry.”The only significant daily operational change that exiting Receivership will bring is a change in governance structure, as we move from a Court-Appointed Receiver back to a full voting and governing School Board,” Henry said.The board will lead its first meeting without receiver Lori Suski on June 24.”They will assume full responsibility for the governance of the district: approving the budget, setting the tax millage rates, adopting policies, approving curriculum, approving contracts and agreements, hiring and/or terminating employees, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, and evaluating the superintendent and assistant superintendent,” Suski said.
The Harrisburg School District will soon be back under the control of its board members.
The Pennsylvania Department of Education announced the district will be leaving receivership.
“What a moment for Harrisburg City schools, for public education in general and for the future of all of our learners,” acting Secretary of Education Carrie Rowe said during a news conference on Tuesday. “This is a historic milestone. Harrisburg is the first ever district in Pennsylvania to emerge from receivership.”
The district was first put under state control in 2019 to improve its finances and poor academic results.
It was originally supposed to end in 2022, but the district asked to keep a court-appointed receiver for another three years.
The receivership is now set to end June 17.
“Over the past decade or so, this district has done the hard work in regaining financial solvency, in restoring trust, and in rebuilding stability for over 6,400 of its learners. What once felt impossible has become a model for what is possible in this process when collaboration and dedication meet each other,” Rowe said.
“This is an opportunity to celebrate the significant financial and operational progress the District has made over the last six years since entering Receivership,” Dr. Benjamin Henry, Superintendent of Schools, said. “There is still significant work to be done, particularly in relation to academic achievement for our students and continued progress on financial and operational stability.”
The district will enter a five-year monitoring phase with the state, according to Henry.
“The only significant daily operational change that exiting Receivership will bring is a change in governance structure, as we move from a Court-Appointed Receiver back to a full voting and governing School Board,” Henry said.
The board will lead its first meeting without receiver Lori Suski on June 24.
“They will assume full responsibility for the governance of the district: approving the budget, setting the tax millage rates, adopting policies, approving curriculum, approving contracts and agreements, hiring and/or terminating employees, negotiating collective bargaining agreements, and evaluating the superintendent and assistant superintendent,” Suski said.