Holyoke Public Schools

What Holyoke Public Schools does

Holyoke Public Schools (HPS) is a PreK-12 public school district serving approximately 4,800 students across 11 schools in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Founded in 1847 alongside the city's industrial development, the district operates six elementary schools (Donahue, E.N. White, Kelly, Lawrence, McMahon, Morgan), two middle schools (Peck, Sullivan), two high school campuses (Holyoke High School Dean Technical, Holyoke High School North), an alternative high school (Opportunity Academy), and an adult learner program (Transitions Academy). The student population is approximately 80% Latino/Latina, and the district returned to local governance in July 2025 after 10 years under Massachusetts DESE state receivership. Approximately 1,300 employees staff the system under Superintendent Jacqueline Glasheen, with the FY 2026 operating budget of $135,340,780 representing a 5.0% increase over FY 2025.

The district's product portfolio includes traditional K-12 instruction, a Dual Language two-way immersion English/Spanish program serving nearly 900 students across PreK-10, nine career vocational technical education programs at Dean Tech (Advanced Manufacturing, Auto Collision, Carpentry, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Diesel Technology, Electrical, Health Assisting, Programming and Web Development), three theme-based academies at HHS North, and Early College partnerships with Holyoke Community College and Westfield State University. Underlying technology includes PowerSchool (student information system), Panorama (culture/climate surveys), Nutrislice (cafeteria menus), My Ride K-12 (bus tracking), Class Dojo (parent communication), Clever (SSO), Follett Destiny (library), and Apptegy (web CMS). Support services include Special Education/IEP services, Autism Services, multilingual education with 150 certified interpreters, free meals via USDA Community Eligibility Provision (operated by Sodexo), and student transportation (via Durham School Services).

HPS is funded through a combination of local municipal taxes, Massachusetts Chapter 70 state aid, and federal grants (Title I, IDEA, ESSER), with no tuition charged to families and only nominal fee-based revenue from optional after-school programs (Beyond the Bell). The go-to-market motion is sales-led via a centralized Enrollment Services office using a lottery system for PreK and direct enrollment for K-12, supported by Family and Community Engagement (FACE) teams, the district website, social media channels, and parent communication platforms. The district is governed by an elected School Committee under the mayoral-city-council structure of Holyoke, with no equity ownership and no venture or private capital exposure.

Name

Holyoke Public Schools

Legal name

Holyoke Public Schools

Website

https://hps.holyoke.ma.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

1847

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK-12 public school district serving approximately 4,800 students across 11 schools in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Operating on a $135 million FY2026 budget, the district offers dual language immersion, career technical education, and early college pathways to a predominantly Latino/Latina community.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public K-12 Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• PreK-12 instruction services
• Vocational technical education
• Dual language immersion programs
• Special education pupil services

Headquarters

HQ city

Holyoke

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding (Local, State, Federal): As a public school district, Holyoke Public Schools is funded primarily through a combination of local municipal tax revenues (approved by City Council and School Committee), Massachusetts state education funding (Chapter 70 aid), and federal grants (Title I, IDEA, ESSER, etc.). The FY 2026 approved budget is $135,340,780, a 5.0% increase over FY 2025. The district also receives grant funding for specific programs.
2. School Meal Program (USDA National School Lunch Program): The district participates in the USDA Community Eligibility Provision, providing free breakfasts and lunches to all students at no charge. It also participates in the USDA Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (grant-funded) and the Summer Food Service Program. Revenue flows through Sodexo as the contracted food service provider.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK-12 public school district operating 11 schools (6 elementary, 2 middle, 2 high school campuses, and 1 adult learner program) serving nearly 4,800 students in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The district delivers free public education including traditional academics, dual language two-way immersion, career vocational technical education, special education, early college pathways, and theme-based academies, supplemented by district-managed food services, student transportation, and after-school programming.

Product overview

Holyoke Public Schools is a PreK–12 public school district serving approximately 4,800 students across 11 schools. The district operates a unified portfolio of schools organized by level: six elementary schools (Donahue, E.N. White, Kelly, Lawrence, McMahon, Morgan), two middle schools (Peck, Sullivan), three high schools (HHS Dean Tech Campus, HHS North, Opportunity Academy), and one adult learning program (Transitions Academy). Beyond traditional schooling, the district offers a Dual Language two-way immersion program spanning PreK–12, Extended Learning / Beyond the Bell after-school programs, Early College partnerships with Holyoke Community College and Westfield State University, Advanced Placement coursework, a Summer Learning program, Special Education/Pupil Services including Autism Services, Food Services managed through Sodexo, and a Transportation Department. Dean Tech Campus provides nine career vocational technical education (CVTE) programs, while HHS North offers three theme-based academies (Community and Global Studies, Engineering and Life Sciences, Performing and Media Arts). The district is governed by a School Committee and managed by a leadership team including the Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, and Executive Directors for Academics, Technology and Data Services, School Leadership, Strategy, and the Student and Family Experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Elementary Schools (Donahue, E.N. White, Kelly, Lawrence, McMahon, Morgan)

Quantifiable outcome

• 80.8% graduation rate — highest on record since 2006, up 18.7 points since 2016
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration13 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• SodexocoreOthersHolyoke Public Schools contracts with Sodexo to provide comprehensive food services across 11 school sites. Sodexo staffs the Food Service Department with more than 60 full and part-time employees. Services include the USDA National School Lunch Program (Community Eligibility Provision providing free meals to all students), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program, and Summer Food Service Program. Contact: Tom Duca, General Manager, (413) 421-7554 or Toni Tirozzi, General Manager, (413) 534-2000 ext. 1651.
• Durham School ServicescoreOthersDurham School Services is the bus company contracted to provide student transportation. Services include full-size buses, minibuses (specialized IEP transportation), and PVTA passes for qualifying high school students. Contact: (413) 315-4119.
• Valley Opportunity Council (VOC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVOC partners with HPS to provide PreK classroom sites at Donahue, Kelly, and Lawrence schools through a CPPI (Community Partnership for Preschool Integration) grant. Families contact VOC at (413) 552-1559, Extension 329 for enrollment.
• Holyoke YMCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHolyoke YMCA partners with HPS to provide PreK classroom sites at the Holyoke YMCA on Pine Street through a CPPI grant. Families contact the YMCA at (413) 534-5631 for enrollment information.
• Holyoke Community College (HCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHCC Early College partnership allows HPS students in grades 10-12 to earn both high school and college credits. Grade 10 students take one college class at HHS North starting in sophomore spring. Grade 11 students take courses at HHS North or at the HCC campus. Grade 12 students take courses on the HCC campus. Tuition, fees, books, and transportation fully covered. Spanish-language track available. More than 450 students have completed the program since 2019.
• Westfield State University (Westfield Promise)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWestfield Promise partnership with Westfield State University offers eligible HPS juniors and seniors an early college pathway. During junior year, students take Composition I at HHS North, co-taught by high school faculty and WSU professors. During senior year, students take classes at the WSU campus. Completers receive priority enrollment at Westfield State.
• Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDESE provided oversight during the 10-year state receivership period (2015-2025) and continues to provide regulatory oversight, accountability frameworks, and programs including the Influence 100 leadership development program (Anthony Soto was a fellow in the inaugural cohort). DESE is conducting a routine Integrated Monitoring Review of HPS in 2026.
• Relay Graduate School of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRelay GSE partnership supports teacher development through the Relay framework for observation and feedback. HPS has partnered with Relay GSE for school improvement and instructional coaching since 2020, particularly at McMahon School.
• Cooperating Colleges of Greater SpringfieldminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCCGS is an educational consortium of eight public and private colleges in the Greater Springfield area, founded in 1971. Supports sharing of programs, talents, facilities, and educational resources among member institutions and HPS.
• Generation Teach STEAM AcademyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGeneration Teach STEAM Academy partners with HPS to provide a summer program for rising grades 6-8 students at Peck Middle School, including engineering, law, math, reading, arts, sports, and movement enrichment classes.
• Coordinated Family and Community Engagement (CFCE)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFCE partners with HPS PreK program to host special events for district families, in collaboration with United Way of Pioneer Valley.
• United Way of Pioneer ValleyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Way of Pioneer Valley co-hosts special events with HPS PreK program and CFCE for district families throughout the school year.
• Boys and Girls Club (Holyoke)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPS provides transportation to Boys and Girls Club (all Holyoke locations) regardless of whether the program is in the child's school zone, as a before/after-school program destination.
• Homework HouseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPS provides transportation to Homework House (all Holyoke locations) regardless of whether the program is in the child's school zone, as a before/after-school program destination.
• YMCA (Holyoke)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPS provides transportation to YMCA before/after-school programs regardless of whether the program is in the child's school zone.
• Girls Inc.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHPS provides transportation to Girls Inc. before/after-school programs regardless of whether the program is in the child's school zone.

Scale indicators17 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Springfield Public Schools: Largest nearby urban district in Western Massachusetts with a similarly large Latino/Latina population, comparable ELL and poverty profile, and the same Massachusetts state funding framework. Most directly comparable peer in size, demographics, and turnaround trajectory.
• Chicopee Public Schools: Adjacent Pioneer Valley district with similar PreK-12 structure, comparable socioeconomic profile, and overlapping labor market. Competes with HPS for teachers given comparable starting salaries and proximity.
• Westfield Public Schools: Pioneer Valley district similar in scale with shared use of Westfield State University for the Westfield Promise early college partnership, making it a directly comparable academic-program peer.
• Northampton Public Schools: Western Massachusetts district of comparable size with progressive academic programs, providing a useful peer benchmark for the Pioneer Valley region on graduation rates, dual enrollment, and teacher compensation.

Regional players

• Agawam Public Schools: One of the nine nearby districts HPS benchmarks teacher salaries against. Similar district size in Western Massachusetts, useful for regional compensation and academic comparison.
• Easthampton Public Schools: Smaller Western Massachusetts district included in HPS's nine-district regional salary benchmark, providing a regional labor-market peer.
• Ludlow Public Schools: Nearby Pioneer Valley district in the HPS regional salary benchmark, comparable in size and structure, providing a regional academic and operational peer.
• South Hadley Public Schools: One of the nine peer districts in HPS's salary comparison set, located in the Pioneer Valley and serving a similar PreK-12 student population profile.
• West Springfield Public Schools: Included in HPS's nine-district regional salary benchmark; comparable in scale and Western Massachusetts labor market, providing a regional operational peer.

Broad incumbents

• Boston Public Schools: Largest urban district in Massachusetts with a similar urban, high-ELL, high-poverty profile and a documented turnaround arc under mayoral/state oversight — a relevant scaled comparable for HPS's transition out of state receivership.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCQpO1uQwX1TR7UHJOl8D1KQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/holyokepublicschools
• Instagraminstagram.com/hpsholyoke
• Xx.com/hpsholyoke
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/holyokepublicschools

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Holyoke Public Schools