LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Jefferson County Public Schools fell short of its planned budget cuts for the upcoming fiscal year, according to newly released tentative budget documents.
In September, the district said it planned to cut $132 million. It later drafted $142 million in reductions. However, the tentative budget shows the district cut recurring expenses by just over $115 million from fiscal year 2026 into fiscal year 2027.
JCPS projects a budget of nearly $1.8 billion next year.
Of the identified cuts, $80 million will be applied toward the district’s deficit, meaning those funds will not be spent elsewhere. Another $35.5 million will be invested into what the district calls "unfunded needs."
Those investments include $13 million for facilities improvements, $10 million for salary schedule improvements, $7 million for bus replacements, $2.5 million for teacher Amazon supplies, $2 million for Chromebook replacements and $1 million for an Urban League partnership.
The reductions come from several areas across the district:
- Districtwide costs: $44 million (38%)
- Central office and centrally managed positions: Nearly $28 million (24%)
- School-based flexible allocation reductions: Nearly $25 million (22%)
- Includes cuts to racial equity funds
- Central office operations: $12.7 million (11%)
- Includes costs outside of contracts and payroll
- Central office contracts: $6 million (5%)
The documents show the district’s projected deficit is decreasing. JCPS projects an $82 million deficit next year, down from the $188 million deficit for fiscal year 2026. The projected fiscal year 2027 deficit would be the district’s lowest since 2023, when it was $80.8 million. The deficit was $243 million in 2024 and $295 million in 2025.
The JCPS Board of Education is scheduled to vote on the tentative budget at its May 12 meeting. The legal deadline to submit a working budget to the Kentucky Board of Education is Sept. 30.
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