Harrisburg: Education and Research

Elementary and Secondary Schools

The Harrisburg Public Schools offer special programs in remedial and special education and for the gifted and handicapped along with courses toward English as a second language. A collaborative high school with the Harrisburg University of Science and Technology focuses on math and science studies; there is one vocational-technical school. The district is operated by an unpaid five-member board that is appointed by the mayor.

The following is a summary of data regarding the Harrisburg public schools as of the 2003–2004 school year.

Total enrollment: 7,663

Number of facilities

elementary/middle schools: 12

high schools: 1

other: 1 alternative school

Student/teacher ratio: 13:1

Teacher salaries

average: $49,123

Funding per pupil: $10,754

Private school education is offered at seven parochial institutions and at Harrisburg Academy, as well as a number of other secular institutions.

Public Schools Information: Harrisburg School District, 2101 N Front St., Bldg. 2, Harrisburg, PA 17110-1081; telephone (717)703-4000. Pennsylvania Department of Education, Division of Data Services, 333 Market St., Harrisburg, PA 17126-0333; telephone (717)787-2644; fax (717)787-3148; email ra-ddsadmin@state.pa.us

Colleges and Universities

Ten colleges, five community/junior colleges, and three graduate schools are located in the Harrisburg area. Among these are branches of three major universities—Penn State, Temple University, and Widener University. Institutions located in the city limits are Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC), founded in 1964 and the state's first community college, offering more than 100 associate degrees, certificates, and diploma programs; Penn State's Downtown and Eastgate Centers; Temple University at Harrisburg; Dixon University Center at Harrisburg, part of the State System of Higher Education and offering graduate degrees in Business Administration, Library Studies, Public Administration, and Safety Science; and the Pittsburgh-based Computer Tech. Penn State's College of Medicine at Hershey offers graduate programs for doctors, nurses, and medical researchers. Carlisle is home to the Army War College and Penn State's Dickinson School of Law. Shippensburg University specializes in business; its campus looks out on the Blue Mountains.

Libraries and Research Centers

The Dauphin County Library System, founded in 1889, is headquartered in downtown Harrisburg on Walnut Street and also maintains a facility in Colonial Park (East Shore Area Library) along with six additional branches located throughout the region. The system holds more than 321,000 items including periodical subscriptions, tapes, videos, and maps. Special collections focus on local history and grants-manship. Internet access is available at all locations.

The State Library of Pennsylvania serves the reference needs of state government and acts as the regional library resource center for public, college, and special libraries. It holds about one million general interest volumes along with 6,500 serials and maintains special genealogy, periodical, and law libraries. At the State Archives, created in 1903, are government and private papers relating to Pennsylvania history that includes 195 million pages of documents and manuscripts, 20,000 reels of microfilm, and one million special collection items. Also located in Harrisburg are the collections of many libraries of state agencies, available for use by researchers and others through special arrangement. Rare medical books are housed at George T. Harrell Library at Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine at nearby Hershey. The Alexander Family Library, part of the Dauphin County Historical Society, features genealogy and local history resources.

Government-related research centers in Harrisburg include the Legislative Office for Research Liaison (LORL), which coordinates the research needs of legislators using the capabilities of academic researchers. Pennsylvania Family Institute studies family issues as they relate to government policy.

Milton S. Hershey Medical Center conducts AIDS and cancer research, as well as an artificial heart research project, biostatistics, and epidemiology. Hershey Foods Corp. maintains an Information Analysis Center.

Public Library Information: Dauphin County Library System, 101 Walnut St., Harrisburg, PA 17101; telephone (717)234-4961; fax (717)234-7479; email HDBweb@dcls.org