For Steelton-Highspire, putting students first starts with transitioning to clean transportation.
Steelton-Highspire Schools | |
| Location | Steelton, PA |
| Number of students | ~ 1,400 |
| Number of schools | 2 schools |
| Percentage of students who ride the bus | 21% |
| Number of electric school buses in fleet | 6 electric school buses |
Nestled in Pennsylvania's historical steel manufacturing region, Steelton-Highspire School District and its community have long faced challenges with industrial emissions and poor environmental health. These factors have disproportionately impacted community members who reside in a historically underserved area where many students qualify for free or reduced lunch and where the district faces ongoing financial constraints.
Despite these challenges, Steelton-Highspire remains focused on meaningful change. Their recent transition to electric school buses represents not only a practical step towards reducing school expenses but also a vital commitment to the well-being of the community, embodying the district’s motto: “What’s Best for Students.”
Electric school buses offer Steelton-Highspire $15,000 - $20,000 in fuel savings annually, which can fund a large portion of a teacher’s annual salary.
Steelton-Highspire's Transition to Electric School Buses
Finding ways to invest in its students despite a 15-year budget deficit is a priority for Steelton-Highspire. So, when the district caught wind of the EPA’s Clean School Bus Program (CSBP), a historic federal funding opportunity aimed at delivering low- and zero-emission school buses to communities across the United States, the district didn’t hesitate.
Steelton-Highspire received funding to full cover the purchase of six new electric school buses through the program, with help from student transportation company First Student, allowing the district to make an investment that would have been otherwise financially impossible. CSBP also provided the district with $20,000 per charger, further offsetting the infrastructure costs and enabling a smooth switch to electric school buses.
Steelton-Highspire has also used a solar array — a collection of solar panels — to cut energy usage and switch to renewable energy. Through a Power Purchase Agreement with energy service company McClure, Steelton-Highspire has been able to cut their energy bill in half, which could save the district $15,000 to $20,000 annually.
Mark “JJ” Carnes, Steelton-Highspire's Business Manager, noted that two years of these cost savings is equivalent to the cost of providing a teacher with salary and benefits.
“$20,000 may not sound like a lot, but to a school district like ours who have been in an operational deficit for 15 consecutive years, every penny matters to us,” Carnes said of his historically underfunded district.
“There are so many benefits that people don’t realize. Better air quality around schools, quieter neighborhoods, and reduced reliance on fossil fuels. It’s a win all around.” - Mick Iskric, Steelton-Highspire’s Superintendent
How Electric School Buses Can Impact Communities
Steelton-Highspire’s transition to electric school buses is already working to enhance community health in an area that has been harmed by decades of pollution produced by local industry. Mick Iskric, the district’s superintendent, recalls how as a child he used to notice a sooty film layering his patio furniture and car, evidence of the ongoing harmful pollution emitted from the local steel factories.
“There are so many benefits that people don’t realize,” Iskric said. “Better air quality around schools, quieter neighborhoods, and reduced reliance on fossil fuels. It’s a win all around.”
In collaboration with Penn State Health, the district is undertaking a health impact study to monitor improvements in air quality as diesel-burning school buses are replaced by electric models. This partnership not only supports ongoing health research but also enables the district to engage students directly in the project. As part of their “What’s Best for Students” mentality, Steelton-Highspire is incorporating air quality data into the curriculum, allowing students to learn from real-time data and understand the impacts of sustainability efforts firsthand.
In fact, Steelton-Highspire’s transition to electric school buses has become a powerful learning experience for both students and the broader community, bringing sustainability to the forefront of education. Teachers are looking to integrate data from the district’s solar panels and electric bus energy savings into STEM lessons, fostering a practical understanding of clean energy and sustainability among students.
The district has also prioritized community outreach by celebrating this transition with a ribbon-cutting event and recognition at the Green Bus Summit, an event highlighting how school districts around the country have made a transition to more energy efficient and cleaner transportation options, such as electric school buses. These efforts have raised awareness of Steelton-Highspire’s commitment to clean energy, sparking a sense of pride comparable to the community’s enthusiasm for student athletic achievements, Carnes said.
“Kids play right next to one of the buses and the solar array,” Iskric said.
“Kids play right next to one of the buses and the solar array.” - Mick Iskric, Steelton-Highspire’s Superintendent
Advice for Other School Districts and Educators
Steelton-Highspire’s journey to adopting electric school buses and sustainable energy practices provides a practical roadmap for other industrial school districts. Superintendent Iskric encourages districts to “take a chance and apply for grants,” because every dollar saved can be reinvested in student programs and community growth.
In fact, one of most valuable lessons learned in this process for Steelton-Highspire was the importance of applying for funding even without having all the logistics fine-tuned.
“You need to go for [CSBP funding],” Carnes said. “As the business manager, if I didn’t fill it out, I don’t think I would’ve been doing my job.”
“You need to go for [CSBP funding] … As the business manager, if I didn’t fill it out, I don’t think I would’ve been doing my job.” - JJ Carnes, Steelton-Highspire's Business Manager
By securing funding first, they maximized their resources, making this transformative transition a success for the district and its community.
Looking forward, the district plans to continue more community-focused projects. Through clean energy innovation, the district is venturing into vehicle-to-everything (V2X) technology, exploring how electric school buses can be used as power generators during emergencies to elevate community resiliency.
Additionally, through educational programs, Iskric and Carnes are working to develop curriculum projects like using algebra, geometry and physics to help their students understand electric bus battery systems.
Steelton-Highspire’s success paves the way for other districts in Pennsylvania by sharing their lessons learned and can break down barriers for other districts. With Steelton-Highspire leading the way, schools across the nation can be inspired to pursue healthy, sustainable, and impactful technological solutions in a way that’s affordable for them and rewarding for their community.