LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools students heading back to class next week will face new school start times, bus routes and updated math and reading programs.
Jefferson County Public Schools. Start times for the 2023-24 school year.
In a news conference Monday, a little more than a week before classes start, JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said there are many "long overdue" changes happening in the district. But he said he's confident in a new transportation plan leading up to the first day on Aug. 9.
"First day of school is always difficult and challenging, no doubt," Pollio said. "We're going to have about 67,000 kids that we're going to be transporting, many of our youngest kids getting on a bus and off a bus for the first time. So, it does take time, especially with all the changes that we have. So, we are asking the community for patience, understanding that there will be some challenges but we are up to those challenges."
The biggest change impacting the most families is the change to school start times. The district approved a plan for nine different start times from the previous two start times.
Start times now range from 7:40 a.m. to 9:40 a.m. for K-12 and early learning students in elementary school buildings and 10:40 a.m. at standalone early learning centers. The additional times will stagger bus routes to compensate for a shortage of bus drivers, halt the need for drivers to do double and triple runs, and allow all students to get to school on time.
Pollio said the change to start times will help get students to school on time by cutting down on bus routes. The plan reduces routes from more than 700 routes to 600.
This is also the first year for school choice in the district. For the first time since 1975, all families have the option of attending a school close to their home. This includes west Louisville.
District leaders said they feel confident students and their families will benefit from being closer to home and being able to take advantage of extra curricular activities.
Four new JCPS schools are opening this year, with a ribbon-cutting planned for Perry Elementary School on Friday. It is next to the YMCA on West Broadway. Echo Trail Middle School near the Parklands in eastern Jefferson County will hold a ribbon-cutting Monday. Hudson Middle is opening in the former Wheatley Elementary School building in west Louisville.
All schools in the district are adopting new math and reading curriculum for grades K-8. The Expeditionary Learning (EL) reading and literacy curriculum includes a focus on foundational reading skills in early grades and builds content knowledge. The Illustrative Mathematics (IM) curriculum focuses on learning the "why" behind the math so students are better able to apply it. This also allows consistency from school to school, so any student who transfers within the district will be able to pick right back up where they left off.
Earlier this month, JCPS released its information on bus routes for this upcoming school year. For detailed information about the transportation plan, click here.
Families are encouraged to look up their school start time and bus stop to be prepared. Here is a link to the JCPS Back to School page, which includes information on immunizations, meal plans, supply lists and student handbook.
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- JCPS preparing to return to school with new start times, bus routes
- Despite parent frustrations, Pollio says JCPS students will benefit from new transportation plan
- JCPS releases new bus routes in Louisville for 2023-24 school year
- JCPS asks some parents to disregard school start time postcards over printing error
- JCPS confident sweeping changes to start times will get more students to school on time
- JCPS board votes to approve new school start times
- JCPS superintendent says change to school start time 'solves' transportation issue
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