By Bo Tefu
Contributing Writer
SACRAMENTO — California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond has appointed attorney and economist Mark T. Harris to a new statewide workgroup that will develop policy recommendations to address rising health care costs affecting school districts and educators.
The Education Healthcare Cost Workgroup will bring together educators, economists and policy experts to examine the financial impact of increasing health care costs on school districts and identify solutions to help schools continue providing quality health care benefits to employees and their families.
“We are all painfully aware of the rising costs of health care in this country, and our school districts are not immune to that strain,” Thurmondsaid. “School districts must be able to afford quality health care for their employees, and all school employees deserve access to quality health care for themselves and their families.”
Harris is an attorney, economist and senior continuing lecturer at UC Merced. He also serves as director of the university’s Law Clinic, general counsel to the Fresno Unified School District and special counsel to the Sacramento City Unified School District and Twin Rivers Unified School District. Before entering academia, Harris worked as an investment banker on Wall Street and has lectured internationally on law and finance.
In 2023, President Joe Biden appointed Harris to the Export-Import Bank of the United States’ Council on Climate. He also recently received the inaugural National Action Network Rev. Al Sharpton Legacy Award in recognition of his work advancing civil rights and social justice.
Harris said he accepted the appointment in honor of his late mother, who spent more than 60 years teaching in Los Angeles and Sacramento public schools and served as a leader of United Teachers Los Angeles. He also noted that his wife, Marianna Y. Harris, is a former public school teacher and school site leader.
“I hope that the contribution I make to the workgroup helps move the needle in a positive direction relative to health care finance equity for all who are within the public education ecosystem,” Harris said.
The California Department of Education said the workgroup’s recommendations will focus on helping school districts manage rising health care costs while preserving access to quality health care for educators. Officials said the effort comes as school systems across California continue to face growing financial pressures associated with employee health care benefits.
Bo Tefu writes for California Black Media.
