District overview
Holyoke Public Schools
How Holyoke schools are funded, who runs them, and what is underway.
Who runs Holyoke's schools, and since when?
From 2015 to 2025, Massachusetts ran Holyoke's schools directly because of chronic low performance. A state-appointed receiver, not the elected School Committee, made the final calls on budget, staffing, and policy. That ended on July 1, 2025. Since then the nine-member elected School Committee has hired a new superintendent, adopted its own budget, and voted on policy again, though some state-era rules, like the pay system for staff, are still in place during the transition.
The School Committee is back in charge
Members elected their own chair and vice chair at an organizational meeting on January 6, 2026, and voted on hiring, budget, and policy through the year.
The district hired its own superintendent
After public interviews with three finalists, the committee unanimously hired Jacqueline Glasheen, effective July 1, 2026, the first superintendent chosen locally since the takeover.
Some state-era systems remain
The 2025 minutes reference a state-imposed staff compensation system and other turnaround-era rules that carried over into local control.
A decade of state oversight does not mean today's schools are failing. The state cited real academic gains, including a rising graduation rate, when it ended receivership.
Where the district stands
Calculated from the two adopted budget totals above; the district did not state a percentage.
Calculated: FY27 total budget divided by the district's 2024-25 enrollment of 4,795 (NCES). Covers the full district operating budget, not a narrower school-level allocation.
2024-25 school year, the most recent year reported.
2015 to July 1, 2025.
Major projects
New superintendent takes over
Started July 1, 2026The committee interviewed three finalists in public sessions, then unanimously hired Assistant Superintendent Jacqueline Glasheen as the new superintendent.
- Public finalist interviews begin
- Committee votes to appoint a new superintendent
- Contract ratified unanimously, effective July 1, 2026
Funding
Existing superintendent salary line in the district operating budget.
Lawrence School building replacement
Statement of Interest submittedThe committee voted to ask the state's MSBA program to fund a replacement for the 1930-built H.B. Lawrence School, citing failing heat and plumbing, no air conditioning, and no media center.
- School Committee unanimously authorizes the Statement of Interest
- Joint City Council/School Committee subcommittee reviews the request
Funding
No funding secured yet. A future MSBA grant could cover part of the cost, with the city covering the rest; only a Statement of Interest has been filed so far.
Filling special-education staff vacancies
Vacancies covered by outside vendorsWith several Board Certified Behavior Analyst and related positions unfilled, the committee approved paying outside vendors to cover the gap while the district keeps recruiting.
- $639,928 moved from vacant speech-pathologist/psychologist salaries to contracted services
- $167,000 moved to contracted services for 2 of 5 vacant BCBA positions
Funding
Paid from the district operating budget: salary lines for vacant positions are transferred into contracted-services lines ($639,928 and $167,000 so far).
Built from a complete chronological review of the 400 official records the city's meeting archive published for the Holyoke School Committee, its subcommittees, and school councils over the trailing 12 months. Figures below are tied to phrases in those stored records unless marked as context.
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