Holyoke School Committee

Less than a year after regaining control of its own school district, the school committee in Holyoke, Mass., marked a new milestone Thursday night. Following a monthslong search, committee members selected a new, permanent superintendent. As WAMC reports, the candidate is more than familiar with both the city and the school district’s struggles.

Massachusetts has officially determined Holyoke Public Schools can exit receivership, after a decade under state control. Local leaders say there’s plenty of work ahead, but there’s much to celebrate in the meantime.

The city of Holyoke is on track to regain control of its schools for the first time in a decade, exiting receivership in two months. Before that happens, though, city and state leaders have agreed on several “exit assurances,” leading to protests by the local teachers' union.

As Holyoke’s school district gets closer to exiting state receivership, its school committee has appointed an interim superintendent ahead of a return to local control.