Metal detectors, JCPS start times on agenda for Pollio's State of the District on Thursday

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Metal detectors and school start times will be on the agenda, as Jefferson County Public Schools superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio gives his State of the District speech on Thursday.

The JCPS chief of communications, Carolyn Callahan, was on WDRB Mornings on Wednesday to detail what to expect in the speech.

Callahan said one of the big sticking points is the proposal to overhaul what time students go to school. Pollio has proposed nine different start times to help with school bus delays and driver shortages.

"Right now it is unacceptable. We have students who are missing an hour, two hours of class every day because their buses are late to school. We have lost 3 million minutes of instructional time this year. We need our kids in the classroom. We are not going to be able to catch up our kids, if they are not in the classroom and our teachers cannot work with them," Callahan said.

The school board still has to vote on the start times plan. Here's a searchable index of proposed start times for each JCPS school.

JCPS is also considering a $5 million plan to install metal detectors, after the rise in the number of weapons found in schools. A WDRB investigation shows at least 20 guns have been found so far in the 2022-23 school year.

Currently three JCPS schools are using metal detectors — Minor Daniels Academy, Breckinridge Metropolitan High School, and Waller-Williams Environmental.

The motion to install metal detectors requires additional discussion by April 25.

Pollio's State of the District speech is at 11:30 a.m. Thursday and will be live on WDRB.com and on the WDRB streaming apps on Fire, Apple and Roku TV.

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