JCPS budget crisis: what the district is protecting, and what's on the chopping block

JCPS Superintendent Brian Yearwood put it simply: "This is not a situation we should be in".

"I'm Shay McAlister, and this is Shay Informed: an independent, ad-free platform dedicated to honest journalism with compassion and clarity.

Are you new here? Sign up for the free newsletter or subscribe to support our mission.

Jefferson County Public Schools is confronting a $188 million budget deficit and implementing immediate cost-cutting measures, Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood announced Tuesday in a letter to the district community.

"I'm not going to point fingers at my predecessor", Yearwood said during a media briefing, "we have to look forward, we have to solve this financial cliff for the students that rely on us."

The deficit stems from the expiration of temporary funding sources that sustained district operations in recent years, including prior budget surpluses and federal COVID-19 relief funds. With those one-time resources now depleted, JCPS is facing a major budget deficit that seemingly came as a shock.

"As a school district of our size, with a responsibility to serve our students, we should not be here," Yearwood said.

Immediate actions and priorities

Dr. Yearwood announced three key principles that will guide the district's decision-making moving forward: minimizing impact on school-based staff salaries, prioritizing central office reductions, and preserving the student experience.

1. Minimizing impact on school-based staff salaries: There will be no reductions in the base daily pay for staff working in schools
2. Prioritizing central office reductions: Budget cuts will begin with the central office, which will bear a large share of the reductions
3. Preserve the student experience: the quality of instruction and learning in the classroom will be safeguarded

"There will be no reductions in base daily pay for staff working directly in schools," Yearwood emphasized in the letter sent out to the district, though he noted that stipends, incentive pay, and extra-duty compensation will be under review.

The district has also implemented a temporary purchasing freeze in five categories: educational consultants, other professional services, equipment, technology hardware, and furniture. This freeze will remain in effect until the district finalizes a new review process to approve these purchases, which the district expects to happen within the next few weeks.

Can we expect tax increases?

As of today, JCPS district leaders are saying a resounding no to tax increases.

Dr. Yearwood told reporters Tuesday, "We are not looking at tax increases right now because we must first balance our checkbook. We have an obligation to have a fiscally sound budget."

He said the financial changes will start internally, and right now they are not considering tax increases but instead focusing on budget cuts.

A focus on transparency

When asked how parents and taxpayers can trust the district to right this wrong, after seemingly mishandling a budget to allow for such a crisis, Dr. Yearwood said he will be prioritizing transparency.

He wants parents, staff members, and the public to know how the district is handling money moving forward. "This is not a situation we should be in," he said.

To maintain transparency throughout the budget process, JCPS is launching a Financial Stability web page where the district plans to provide regular updates, key documents, and frequently asked questions.

They are also seeking an external review, calling a special meeting with the JCPS School Board to approve an external audit.

How did we get here?

Think of it like a family budget that got out of control. Over the past five years, JCPS spent big on things parents wanted- better teacher pay, safer schools, and programs to help struggling students. But they kept spending money they didn't really have.

Here's where the money went:

• Teacher raises
• School improvements: sound systems, athletic fields, and metal detectors
• Helping struggling schools: racial equity programs
• School safety: police officers, safety administrators, and security systems
• Transportation fixes: millions to solve the bus driver shortage

All of these were things the community asked for. The problem? They were living off savings while spending way more than they earned. Much of that money came from federal funding boosts during COVID, or one-time grants. It wasn't money the district could afford to allocate year after year.

What this means for your child's school

The district leaders made some promises about what they WON'T cut:

• No teacher pay cuts: they're committed to keeping salaries where they are
• Schools protected first: the central office will take the biggest cuts before schools lose resources
• Classroom focus: they want to protect what directly affects your child's learning

But realistically, some things will probably change:

• Fewer central office staff: less administrative support (though this shouldn't directly affect classrooms)
• Program reviews: some extra programs might get reduced or eliminated
• Tighter spending: no more "nice to have" purchases

Will your child's school close?

Board members were very clear: this won't lead to school closures. The cuts are focused on administrative costs and non-essential spending, not shutting down schools.

Dr. Yearwood also reiterated this point Tuesday, explaining there are no current plans to stop construction on schools that are currently being built.

What happens next?

The critical moment comes in January when the school board has to approve next year's budget with all the cuts identified. Between now and then, district leaders are:

• Reviewing every department for possible cuts
• Looking at contracts to see if they can renegotiate
• Putting new controls in place so this never happens again

Like what you see? Learn more about Shay Informed here! This is honest journalism with compassion and clarity.