LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A legislative task force to study the state's largest school district's administration and suggest reforms will meet in Louisville.
The state's Efficient and Effective School Governance Task Force, reviewing JCPS, will meet at Central High School at 5:30 on Tuesday.
The JCPS Task Force is made up of eight elected officials and five citizen members.
People will be able to address the task force during a public comment period.
The public will have three minutes to address the following topics, according to the Legislative Research Commission:
- How would you like to see the district's academic offerings, educational capabilities, and operations improved?
- How have these factors affected the enrollment decisions for your child?
Sign-up to speak on-site will begin 30 minutes before the meeting.
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.
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.
Angela Masden-Wilson and Brittany Abdelahad will serve as resident-parent members. Jody Wurtenberger will serve as the business member.
The task force will meet three more times following Tuesday's meeting:
- Monday, September 16, 2024 at 1 p.m. at Capitol
- Monday, October 21, 2024 at 1 p.m. at Capitol
- Monday, November 18, 2024 at 3 p.m. at Capitol
The Task Force has met two other times, where Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio has testified before the committee and answered questions.
In previous meetings JCPS has provided an overview of the district, makeup of the administration and board of education. as well as its budget.
JCPS Task Force citizen members applied and were selected to serve on the 13 person panel.
It has also discussed chronic absenteeism in the district, a growing number of multilingual learners. As well as test scores and recent changes in curriculum.
The focus on Louisville's public school system stems from its difficult start to the 2023-24 school year, and the failed rollout of a new busing system that led to six days of school being canceled. A group of Kentucky House Republicans sent an open letter to JCPS students, parents and teachers after the first day of school, calling the massive bus issues an "epic failure," and said the district "failed in its most fundamental obligation, which is to keep our kids safe."
Tuesday's meeting will also be livestreamed on the LRC YouTube site you can reach here.
Related stories:
- JCPS leaders address test scores, curriculum before state task force examining district
- JCPS Task Force meets for first time, Superintendent Pollio presents to panel
- State JCPS task force taking applications, here's how to apply
- Kentucky General Assembly passes resolution that would create task force to 'monitor' JCPS
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