How Steelton-Highspire’s clean energy push saved enough to fund a teacher — and then some

A struggling steel town has been transformed into a model for clean energy and community resilience, thanks to the Steelton-Highspire school district. Gov. Shapiro’s Lightning Plan is about to make it easier for more communities to get onboard.

When Superintendent Dr. Mick Iskric walks the halls of Steelton-Highspire School District, he’s not just thinking about test scores or graduation rates. He’s thinking about fish waste, solar panels, and the hum of electric buses—innovations that are transforming a once-struggling steel town into a model for clean energy and community resilience.

“I always tell people, we’re taking an old steel town and making it better for the community,” Iskric said. “This is what’s best for kids—and that’s the core of every decision we make.”

Over the past decade, Steelton-Highspire has become an unexpected leader in clean energy. In a small district with a shrinking tax base, the path to sustainability wasn’t paved with extra money. It was built on creativity, partnerships, and a willingness to say “why not?” to ideas that most districts pass over.

Steelton-Highspire school district

A greenhouse grows in Steelton

The district’s clean energy journey began in 2014 with a bold experiment: a 30,000-square-foot aquaponics greenhouse, entirely soilless, where fish and plants live in a symbiotic cycle. 

“The waste from the fish ends up feeding the plants,” Iskric said. 

The result? The greenhouse produces the equivalent of over 30 acres of fresh produce each year.

It wasn’t just a science project. Through partnerships—first with a private company, then Harrisburg University—the greenhouse became a living classroom. Steelton-Highspire students now participate in dual enrollment programs, gaining hands-on experience in sustainable agriculture and research. The produce, meanwhile, finds its way to local missions and restaurants, feeding both bodies and minds.

Solar power

In 2021, the district flipped the switch on a 1.7-megawatt solar array, offsetting 100% of its electricity needs. The panels aren’t just saving money—they’re reclaiming history. 

“Our solar array is built on a brownfield,” Iskric said. “It was actually a working landfill used in the aftermath of Hurricane Agnes in 1972. Today, that land powers classrooms instead of collecting debris.”

The financial impact is staggering. 

“For the first 13 years, we save anywhere from $13,000 to $15,000 a year,” Iskric said. “Then, on year 14, all the way till 20, it jumps to $200,000 to $225,000. This year alone, the district received a $75,000 rebate check—enough to cover a teacher’s salary and benefits. We’re actually producing more savings than was initially projected.”

Electric buses

Two years ago, Steelton-Highspire became the first district in the country to achieve 100% solar-powered, 100% electric transportation. Thanks to the EPA’s Clean School Bus program, the district replaced six diesel buses with electric ones and installed charging infrastructure at minimal cost.

The benefits go beyond the environment. 

“We save between $20,000 and $30,000 a year in diesel fuel,” Iskric said. 

The switch has also led to quieter rides and calmer students. 

“We’ve seen decreases in behavior with the electric buses,” Iskric said. “Kids show up a little bit less agitated.”

Community, creativity, and cost savings

Steelton-Highspire’s success is rooted in partnerships—with Harrisburg University, McClure Company, and others—that have enabled the district to pursue these projects at zero cost, Iskric said. 

Grants and creative financing have allowed the district to invest in its future without burdening taxpayers—no small feat in a community where a 5.5% tax increase generates just $150,000, compared to millions in neighboring districts.

Iskric is quick to share the credit. 

“It’s people believing in what you got going on. ‘What’s best for kids?’ Every decision we make is with that preface in mind,” Iskric said.

Challenges and the road ahead

The path hasn’t been without bumps. An inverter failure in the solar array was quickly fixed thanks to responsive partners. The bigger challenge? Finding and training bus drivers for the new electric fleet. 

“It’s a different style of driving, and a lot of the old school bus drivers didn’t want to learn,” Iskric said. 

But even here, Iskric sees opportunity: “With the new wave of electric vehicles, there’s a level of education that comes with that. Maybe a kid gets hooked on the technology and wants to be a bus driver or a technician.”

A model for Pennsylvania

Steelton-Highspire’s success is more than a local story—it’s a preview of what’s possible statewide. Gov. Josh Shapiro recently unveiled his Lightning Plan, which aims to supercharge Pennsylvania’s clean energy transition by investing in solar, wind, and grid modernization, with a special focus on helping schools and communities reap the financial and environmental benefits.

The Lightning Plan proposes:

• Expanding grant and technical assistance programs for schools to adopt solar and energy efficiency programs.
• Funding for electric school bus fleets and charging infrastructure.
• Incentives to repurpose brownfields and other underutilized land for clean energy projects.
• Support for workforce training, ensuring students and workers are prepared for clean energy jobs.

For districts like Steelton-Highspire, the Lightning Plan could mean even more opportunities to save money, improve air quality, and invest in students—without raising taxes in communities where every dollar counts.

A vision for the future

Looking ahead, Iskric said his district is exploring a new Solar for Schools grant, aiming to install panels on the elementary school roof and further increase savings—potentially another $50,000 to $70,000 per year. Iskric said he hopes to one day produce enough solar energy to supply the broader community, uplifting a town where nearly half the properties are rentals and economic challenges run deep.

“Our kids come from a 95% poverty background. But they deserve every opportunity the kid next to them gets, no matter what their zip code is,” Iskric said. 

Last year, students became the first in Pennsylvania to ride electric school buses, receiving certificates and a sense of pride. 

“We made it a real big deal,” Iskric said. “Doing what’s best for kids, but really the community as well.”

Steelton-Highspire’s story is one of vision, partnerships, and a willingness to try. Iskric said it shows that even the smallest districts can lead the way in clean energy—one solar panel, one bus ride, one student at a time.