Mark T. Harris, Esq.
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 healthcare costs affecting TK-12 school districts and educators.
The TK-12 Education Healthcare Cost Workgroup will bring together educators, economists and policy experts to examine the financial impact of increasing healthcare costs on school districts and identify solutions to help schools continue providing quality healthcare benefits to employees and their families.
“We are all painfully aware of the rising costs of healthcare in this country, and our school districts are not immune to that strain,” said Thurmond. “School districts must be able to afford quality healthcare for their employees, and all school employees deserve access to quality healthcare for themselves and their families.”
Harris is an attorney, economist and senior continuing lecturer at the University of California, 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, Dr. 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 healthcare 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 healthcare costs while preserving access to quality healthcare for educators. Officials said the effort comes as school systems across California continue to face growing financial pressures associated with employee healthcare benefits.
