LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Jefferson County Public Schools is making changes to its proposed $142 million in budget cuts, according to a source familiar with the discussions.
The source tells WDRB that during a Zoom meeting with principals on Friday, Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood said the district will no longer cut academic instructional coach positions. Instead, the district is considering cutting mental health practitioner positions at schools outside the Enhanced Support Zone.
The Enhanced Support Zone includes Accelerated Improvement Schools and schools included in a Choice Zone.
The shift follows pushback from principals over the proposed elimination of academic instructional coaches, who analyze student data and help guide teachers’ instructional decisions.
A person who attended the presentation tells WDRB that under the revised plan, academic instructional coaches would remain school-based, while mental health practitioners would be centralized.
It remains unclear whether cutting mental health practitioners would save the same amount of money as the previously proposed reduction in academic instructional coaches, which was expected to save more than $14 million.
The revised proposal is part of the district’s broader effort to address a projected $188 million budget shortfall through $142 million in planned cuts.
This story will be updated.
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