LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — The Jefferson County Public Schools Board voted Tuesday night to move forward with plans to build seven new school buildings while also approving contracts for summer programming and a higher insurance bill.
The district said the construction projects are expected to cost more than $260 million and will be paid for through the district's capital fund, which is reserved for building and facility projects.
That funding source is separate from the district’s general fund, which has faced the well-known $188 million deficit.
The approved construction plan includes new buildings for Carrithers Middle School, Westport Middle School, Cochrane, Goldsmith and Wilt Elementary Schools, as well as Olmsted Academy South. The district also plans to build a new elementary school in south Louisville, though the exact location has not been chosen.
In addition to new construction, JCPS is planning major renovations at 61 schools over the next two years.
The board also approved several contracts, including nearly $1 million for Evolve 502 to operate a summer learning program serving about 1,000 students.
The approval comes after recent changes to JCPS summer programming, including more than $2 million in cuts to the Summer Success League and a move toward school-based summer instruction.
Board member Linda Duncan said the district has reduced its use of outside contracts as it works to address budget concerns.
"Contracts have been reduced greatly. I think we've almost cut them in half over this year," Duncan said.
The board also approved the district's liability insurance renewal. The annual premium increased by about $161,000, bringing the total cost to more than $2 million.
Both Yearwood and Duncan pointed to the amount the district pays to settle lawsuits as the reason for the spike. A recent WDRB Investigates report found JCPS has paid nearly $20 million in bus crash-related lawsuit settlements since 2024.
Superintendent Brian Yearwood said the district is continuing additional safety training for transportation employees in an effort to reduce accidents and future costs.
"We want to be very conscious of accidents and make sure additional training is in place," Yearwood said.
District leaders said they are putting more focus on measuring whether programs are producing results, including tracking whether academic interventions help improve student performance.
The meeting also included the resignation announcement of board member James Craig, who said in a letter read during the meeting that he is stepping down after eight years on the board.
Following Diane Porter's resignation in 2023, the board sought nominations and later appointed a replacement. JCPS has not commented on what will happen with Craig's seat.
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