JCPS Board accepts historic budget cuts, saves mental health staff after marathon meeting

What happened at last night's meeting, and what it means for your child's school.

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If you tried to stay up for last night's Jefferson County Board of Education meeting, you probably gave up before it ended at 11 p.m. Don't worry- here's what you need to know about the major decisions that will affect your child's school next year.

The big picture: a $142 million problem

JCPS is facing a financial crisis. The district needs to cut $142 million from next year's budget to avoid running out of money. Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood repeatedly called it urgent, saying the district can't keep "kicking the can down the road."

The meeting lasted more than 7 hours, with dozens of community members, teachers, principals, and mental health workers speaking during public comment. The emotion in the room was intense- at times, speakers broke down in tears talking about the students they serve.

What the board decided

It's important to note- last night's vote wasn't a final say on this budget. It was just the first step with the board agreeing to accept the budget. The board will now review the budget, created by the superintendent and other district leaders, and make a final vote later this spring.

Mental health staff are safe (for now)

In a surprise move that came early in the meeting, Vice Chair James Craig proposed keeping all mental health practitioners in schools. The board voted 5-2 to approve this change, drawing cheers and applause from the packed room.

Here's the trade-off: Instead of eliminating mental health practitioners, principals will now have the option to purchase Academic Instructional Coaches (AICs) from their school budgets- if they can afford them. The district will save roughly the same amount of money ($7.3 million), but individual schools will decide whether to hire these coaching positions.

Board member Taylor Everett questioned why the board was giving schools autonomy over one position but not others, asking: "If we're saying every school is unique, why are we not just saying here's your budget, you purchase what your school needs?"

Two elementary schools will close

The board voted to close King Elementary and Zachary Taylor Elementary. This was one of the most contentious decisions of the night.

For King Elementary families: Your students will have priority in the school choice process and can apply to magnet schools. The district says you'll have options beyond just one assigned school.

For Zachary Taylor families: Same process- priority status for school choice and magnet applications.

Board member Corrie Strange voted against both closures, saying the decisions were being made "on the backs of the most vulnerable people with the least amount of resources." She noted that King serves one of the lowest-income areas in the county, and closing it would create a "school desert" in the Shawnee area, which already faces a food desert.

The vote was 5-2 for the closures, with Miss Strange and Miss Lister voting no, and Mr. Bass abstaining.

Where else are cuts happening?

Central office: About 300 positions are being eliminated, reducing the cabinet from 13 chiefs to 7. Dr. Yearwood emphasized that the central office is taking the biggest hit. It still isn't clear exactly what positions within the central office are on the chopping block. Dr. Yearwood said impacted staff would be notified by May.

School-level changes:

• Equity funds (which help high-need schools) cut from $36 million to $18 million
• Middle school teaming was reduced by about half
• Some elementary schools will lose their safety administrators (they'll share them with other schools)
• Elementary bookkeepers will be centralized- these are the people who held school-based office jobs and kept up with finances. The district is now moving to an online district-wide system

What's staying: The district maintains that your child's classroom teacher positions are protected. However, it appears some schools may lose intervention specialists and counselors.

What parents asked about

"How will this affect my child's classroom?"

Despite assurances that "classroom cuts" were being avoided, several principals testified that they'll lose 1-7 teachers per school depending on their funding. Brown School, for example, could lose 30% of its middle school teaching staff.

In an online post, a representative from J. Graham Brown said, "Brown school has a unique staffing and resource model, not to mention the smallest middle school across all of JCPS. Blanket cuts have a bigger impact here, yet Brown school leadership does not have a say in how funds are cut."

"Why weren't principals involved earlier?"

Multiple principals spoke during public comment about feeling shut out of the process until the last minute. Principal Courtney Grace said, "We stand before you asking you to vote no on a proposed budget that excludes school leadership's voices."

Dr. Yearwood acknowledged that input from principals is important, but said the crisis requires urgent action: "We can't wait."

A source close to the situation told me the Principals' Communication Committee, which includes about 15 principals from all levels of the district, has historically had a seat at the table before big decisions like this are made. But the committee was "shut out" of the budget conversation, with the monthly meeting cancelled in January.

The process isn't over

This was the "draft budget" vote, which the district must submit to the state by January 31. The board will continue refining the budget before the final vote in May.

Board member Chris Kolb emphasized that "this is not a final budget" and promised continued conversations about the cuts between now and May.

What experts said about the crisis

The meeting included a report from Alvarez and Marsal, a consulting firm hired to review JCPS's finances. Their conclusion? The crisis is real. The district has been spending more than it brings in, depleting its savings account (called "fund balance"). Without changes, JCPS would run out of money.

However, they also found that JCPS's budgeting process needs improvement, with some spending categories consistently overestimated.

The emotion in the room

More than 40 people spoke during public comment, many fighting back tears:

• Mental health practitioners shared stories of supporting students through trauma, domestic violence, and suicidal ideation
• Teachers from Zachary Taylor said students with special needs depend on the small, structured environment their school provides
• Parents talked about their children finally reaching grade level thanks to intervention specialists who might be cut
• A community leader called closing King Elementary a betrayal of promises made to West Louisville

One mental health practitioner, Tracy Roberts, told the board: "On Friday evening, I went from preparing to enjoy our three-day weekend to finding out that our jobs were in jeopardy. Y'all threw me for a loop."

What board members said

James Craig (who proposed saving mental health staff): "I'm not going to let 160 schools go without their mental health professional with only two days of deliberation on the topic."

Corrie Shull (board chair): The board has been pressured to defer to leadership for years, and they've "only recently regained" their authority to make these decisions after a Supreme Court case.

Chris Kolb: "We have a fiduciary obligation to this district to deliver a budget that is viable." He said he'll vote yes but wants to ensure all decisions are made with dignity and integrity.

Dr. Yearwood's response: "This kind of deficit should never have been allowed to exist anywhere. But I'm faced with it. I'm going to deal with it. I'm going to head it on."

What happens next

• The district submits this draft budget to the state by January 31
• Transition teams will form for families at King and Zachary Taylor
• School choice applications open for affected families
• The board continues working on the budget through May
• Final budget vote happens in May
• Impacted jobs will be notified in May

Questions?

If your child attends King or Zachary Taylor, watch for communication from your school about the transition process and school choice options. All families from these schools will get priority status in choosing their next school.

For everyone else, start asking your principal how these cuts might affect your specific school. Every school's situation is different based on its funding sources and student needs.

If you work in a JCPS building and see an impact that isn't being talked about- I want to hear from you! Email me at shay@shayinformed.com

The full meeting video is available here.

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