JCPS superintendent candidates face community in public forums

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As Jefferson County Public Schools prepares to name its next superintendent, community members had a chance to hear directly from the two finalists vying to lead Kentucky’s largest school district.

Ben Shuldiner and Dr. Harold Brian Yearwood stood before packed crowds Tuesday night during back-to-back public forums held at the JCPS Center for Professional Learning. The events gave parents, educators, business leaders and community advocates the opportunity to ask questions and assess each candidate’s vision for the future of JCPS.

Both candidates responded to identical questions submitted by attendees, addressing major issues such as chronic absenteeism, relationships with lawmakers in Frankfort and the district’s budget deficit.

“(The budget) threatens to undercut the progress of our district if it's not urgently addressed. This has to be priority one—get this under control,” said Yearwood, emphasizing the urgency of tackling the budget shortfall.

Shuldiner, the former superintendent of Lansing Schools in Michigan, focused on the potential he sees in JCPS.

“You’ve got 14,000 folks who are employees, you got 96,000 students, 770,000 community members, and I know every single one of them wants this place to succeed,” Shuldiner said. “We have the talent. You just need the support.”

The forums drew a wide range of attendees—from parents and school board members, to representatives from community organizations like the NAACP and Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI).

Kellye Cunningham, president of the NAACP Kentucky State Conference, said it was important to get a sense of the candidates’ leadership styles.

“We're here to hear what the candidates are saying. It’s evident that they’re going to be our leaders for this dynamic district, and we're going to hold them accountable,” Cunningham said. “So we're here to say, ‘OK, you said that. Now, let's see you in action.’”

GLI, which partners with JCPS on workforce development through the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) academies, also had a vested interest in the forums.

“It’s super important that these superintendent candidates really care about the academies and care about preserving them, protecting them and making sure they grow and flourish,” said Emily Drexler, GLI’s business partnership recruiter.

Both candidates are making their case this week to be the next superintendent in Kentucky's largest school district. Earlier this month, the Jefferson County Board of Education announced Yearwood and Shuldiner as the top two candidates to replace outgoing superintendent Marty Pollio, who is leaving July 1 to become president of Ivy Tech Community College in Indiana.

Shuldiner currently leads a school district in Lansing, Michigan, but he said the call to Louisville was one he couldn't ignore. He and his fiancé already have ties to the city, including volunteer work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We've raised the graduation rates by 26 points," he said Monday. "We've raised the attendance rates by 13 points. We actually increased enrollment for the first time in 30 years."

Yearwood said he's also up for the challenge.

"I'm very humbled, first of all, that I'm one of two, and I'm certainly excited about the prospects of what may hold, what the future may hold if I'm given the opportunity here in Louisville," he said Monday.

Yearwood most recently served as superintendent in Columbia, Missouri. He said his strength is turning around struggling districts.

"That is a challenge that I take on wholeheartedly because that's what I've been doing my entire life is turning around schools, turning around districts, and I look forward to this challenge," Yearwood said. "It's very much doable."

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