A university closed. Teachers learned a new language. A school district expanded to meet growing enrollment.
In Northeast and Central Pennsylvania, education included both addition and subtraction in 2024.
Closure of Clarks Summit University
The Lackawanna County school ended the spring semester by furloughing all employees. Most employees decided to work for free during the furloughs.
In July, the school announced it would close for good as it faced a budget deficit of more than $1 million.
Another local school, Keystone College, has faced financial challenges this year. Borys Krawczeniuk reported last month that the college faces the loss of its accreditation — a decision which the school has appealed.
Consolidation for Hanover Area
With aging buildings and growing enrollment, Hanover Area School District looked for solutions. In November, the school board unanimously approved purchasing the Mondelez International office building in Hanover Industrial Estates and will consolidate the district’s four elementary schools into the new facility.
New superintendent, ongoing renovations in Scranton
When Erin Keating became the Scranton School District superintendent in April, she faced a ransomware attack on the district network, heightened calls for more safety and security and ongoing construction projects.
During a renovation progress tour of West Scranton Intermediate — an open-concept school built in the 1970s — she talked about putting up walls, and taking them down.
Spanish classes for teachers
With a growing population of Spanish-speaking students learning English, teachers in the Hazleton Area School District are now learning Spanish.
As of October, the all-time high of 13,737 students in the southern Luzerne County district was up about 500 students from a year ago. Of those students, about 3,700 receive additional support for learning English, up about 400 from a year ago. Last year, the district opened a Newcomer Center for the influx of students.
Other notable stories
Truancy or chronic absenteeism continues to be a problem at schools throughout the region. Nationwide, the percentage of students missing at least 10% of a school year grew from 15% in 2018 to 28% in 2022.
Superintendents seek stability and predictability when it comes to school funding. Shenandoah Valley was one of six districts that sued the state in 2014. In 2023, Commonwealth Court ruled that the state’s current education funding system had to change, but didn’t provide the framework to do it. The leaders are still waiting for a solution.
In October, the Berwick Area School Board banned the display of pride flags in school. The vote was met with opposition from the LGBT+ community.
Don't forget to follow along each day at WVIA.org as we publish “Year in Review 2024,” a week-long series recounting the top stories of the past year through New Year's Day.
