The Harrisburg School District’s administration building.
At a meeting Tuesday night, following four months waiting for state funds tied up in a lengthy budget impasse, Harrisburg school board members reviewed the district’s financial state.
A treasurer’s report presented at the meeting showed the school district had more than $60 million in its coffers at the end of the federal fiscal year in September, about $10 million less than the same time last year, according to Chief Financial Officer Marcia Stokes. Stokes attributed the lower 2025 total to Pennsylvania’s delay in passing the state budget.
The district heavily relies on state funding and was forced in June to pass its 2025-26 general fund budget without the state having passed its own budget, which decides how much money the district receives. For the 2025-26 school year, the state will send Harrisburg $88.1 million for basic education and $8.7 million for special education. The district will also receive $18 million in grant funding.
Stokes added that, due to the delayed state funds, the district opted not to pay its charter schools for the time being.
“It would have been a significantly greater discrepancy had we paid our bills,” she said.
Now that the significantly delayed state budget has passed, officials said they were relieved.
“I’m just glad to see that the budget has been passed to continue our support for our children and our services here in the district,” board President Roslyn Copeland said.
The board also voted 5-4 Tuesday night to hire an armed guard from St. Moritz Security Services for the district’s administration building at 1010 N. 7th St. at $35.60 per hour.
Superintendent Benjamin Henry said it was an appropriate safety measure.
“We don’t have anyone to really control who comes in and out of our office in this building,” he said.
The security guard will work Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..
Additionally, the board discussed $2.1 million in contracts for roof restorations for four school buildings: Foose Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Camp Curtin and SciTech. The work would be done by Tremco Roofing and Building Maintenance.
Members also weighed extending a license agreement with Harrisburg-based Wildheart Ministries to continue operating the Hill Farm, located on district-owned property at 18th Street and Eugene Alley, through November 2028. Wildheart uses the land to grow food and provide educational opportunities for students.
Board member Danielle Robinson questioned the length of the contract, as previous contracts between the district and Wildheart had been one year.
Board member Annie Hughes spoke in favor of the longer term.
“Farms have to plant a year ahead, so a yearly agreement is very difficult for a farm to manage,” she said.
Chief Operations Administrator John Reedy noted the board can end the contract prematurely, if needed.
The board is slated to vote on the roofing and Hill Farm contracts at next week’s board meeting.
