The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced Monday night that Holyoke Public Schools will exit state receivership and return to local control on July 1.
Massachusetts Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler was in Holyoke to make the announcement at the monthly School Committee meeting.
The decision follows a provisional determination last October that the district would be ready if the Holyoke School Committee completed a capacity building plan developed with state education officials.
In a prepared letter, presented to Mayor Joshua Garcia and Receiver/Interim Superintendent Anthony Soto, Tutwiler formally announced the return to local control.
"I am pleased to inform you that Holyoke Public Schools will exit chronically underperforming status on July 1, 2025," Tutwiler wrote.
Based upon the evidence of progress that the school committee made through its Local Control Subcommittee, first to former Acting Commissioner Russell Johnston "and now myself," Tutwiler said, "I am confident that the [Holyoke School Committee] is well prepared to resume local governance of the district, with transitional supports provided by the exit assurances."
He also presented the exit assurances document for HPS that was provided to the committee on April 28, 2025.
Holyoke is the first school district in Massachusetts to exit state receivership. Lawrence and Southbridge remain under state control.
Tutwiler said this historic decision honors the entire Holyoke community, "and particularly the students, families, educators, staff and leaders who have carried forward the district’s transformational efforts over the past ten years."
He said that under Soto’s leadership, community stakeholders have consistently shared their input into the district’s strategic planning and decision-making processes.
Beginning July 1, Soto will continue leading the district as Interim Superintendent for the 2025-26 school year.
"It is my sincere hope and expectation that HSC and HPS will continue to demonstrate their growing capacities to achieve the strategic improvement goals they have set in collaboration with the Holyoke community," Tutwiler said, adding that the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will continue to support the district’s strategic transformation efforts "by providing monitoring and consultation around the metrics identified in the exit assurances document."
In a press release Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey praised Holyoke and the hard work done to regain local control of its schools.
"... [T]his is a great moment for the city, students, educators and families,” Healey said adding that she is grateful for the leadership of Mayor Joshua Garcia, the Holyoke School Committee and the educators of Holyoke for partnering with her administration to prepare for this milestone.
"I’m confident that they will continue to successfully move the district forward," Healey said.
This is a developing story.