FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- A state task force aimed at reviewing Louisville's public school district met in Frankfort on Monday, focused on staff support, bullying prevention and crisis management.

The state's Efficient and Effective School Governance Task Force has been meeting for months in an effort to gain a full picture of the challenges facing Jefferson County Public Schools, the largest district in Kentucky. The topic at top of mind lately has been fights on buses, an issue highlighted by a particularly gruesome incident earlier this month during which a student was badly injured. On Monday, the Jefferson County Teachers Association testified before the 13-member committee that more staffing would help solve some problems, especially when it comes to buses. 

Staff members are trained on how to intervene in situations, but some on the task force said Monday that suspending a student is often looked at as more of a reward than a punishment. While the JCPS student handbook does have guidelines when it comes to discipline, the book is always changing based on situations and trends.

"We are always revamping those, so it doesn't really matter if we have a particular event," JCPS Assistant Superintendent Matt Anderson said. "This is something we are always taking a look at. We are exploring how we might improve in those areas. Is there additional training we need to provide to staff? Are there components of the assessment we need to adjust? Any of those things."

The head of the JCPS police department said they recently hired 15 more officers and are now up to full staff with a total of 55 officers that are working in and around the schools.

The task force's original goal was to bring legislation recommendations before the 2025 session. At a meeting earlier this month in Louisville, co-chair Sen. Mike Nemes, R-Shepherdsville, said it may need more time.

The panel is a direct result of House Concurrent Resolution 81, which the Kentucky General Assembly adopted during the 2024 legislative session. Sponsored by Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, the measure called for a working group to review the administrative functions and learning outcomes of school districts that have more than 75,000 students, which only applies to JCPS. 

The task force is made up of 13 members, with several legislators, including House Speaker David Osborne and Senate President Robert Stivers. Rep. Kim Banta, R-Fort Mitchell, and Nemes leading the group as co-chairs.

Citizen members were chosen through a public application process announced in June. Fern Creek High School Principal Rebecca Nicolas and Iroquois teacher and treasurer for Jefferson County Teachers Association George Nichols are on the task force.

The focus on Louisville's public school system stems from its difficult start to the 2023-24 school year. For the last several years, JCPS has struggled to recruit enough bus drivers, resulting in buses running delayed, up to several hours.

In attempt to resolve the problem, JCPS changed from just two to nine start times, and partnered with out of state routing company AlphaRoute to maximize transportation with its limited drivers. However, the first day of school last year with new start times and bus routes, proved to be disastrous for the district. The first day was plagued with bus delays in the morning and the afternoon. Some students' buses never showed up that morning, and others didn't get dropped off from school that evening until almost 10 p.m.

The backlash from the bus plan's rollout was immediate and far-reaching. Republicans in Frankfort immediately rallied together demanding answers from JCPS leaders and hinting at the creation of task force to explore splitting the district. 

The task force held its first meeting July 15, hearing a presentation from JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio. He and other district leaders gave a general overview of the school district, including the make up of the administration and the board of education. They also shared information on schools focused on career and technical education and how the district is spending its nearly $2 billion budget. 

It will meet two more times following Monday's meeting:

  • Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 at 1 p.m. at the Capitol
  • Monday, Nov. 18, 2024 at 3 p.m. at the Capitol

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