HARRISBURG, PA (WPMT) – Acting Secretary of Education Carolyn Dumaresq filed a petition with the York County Court of Common Pleas this morning to place York City School District into receivership and appoint Dave Meckley as receiver.
The action follows a decision last month by the York City School Board to table action on a proposal to turn the district’s schools into charter schools.
“For nearly two years, Mr. Meckley has attempted to work with the school board to implement a financial recovery plan, approved by the board in June 2013, that would ensure students have access to quality academic programs while restoring fiscal stability to the district,” Dumaresq said. “During this time, the board has consistently failed to follow the recovery plan and the directives of the chief recovery officer. It is now necessary for the district to be placed into receivership so the recovery plan can to be fully executed for the benefit of the students and to return the district to financial solvency.”
Under provisions of the School District Financial Recovery law, in December 2012, the Department of Education placed the district in Moderate Financial Recovery Status and appointed Meckley as chief recovery officer.
In creating the recovery plan, Meckley worked with an advisory committee, obtained input from the public and met frequently with the board, district and school administrators, teachers and staff to develop the plan.
Since the recovery plan was approved by the board in June 2013, the board has refused to implement the plan as required, leaving the district unable to advance academic achievement and begin fiscal recovery.
Dumaresq noted several areas in which the school board has failed to adhere to the financial recovery plan: taking action that is inconsistent with the plan, not specifically identified in the plan or not directed by the chief recovery officer as being necessary to implement the plan.
The law requires the court to hold a hearing within seven days of the petition’s filing and to issue an order approving or denying receivership within 10 days of the hearing.
