JCPS asks some parents to disregard school start time postcards over printing error

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) is asking some parents to "disregard" a postcard from the district about school start times over a printing error.

In a letter sent to families on Monday, the district said some students' school and start times for the upcoming 2023-24 school year "may be incorrect."

"We apologize for the error. You will receive a new postcard with the correct school information and start time soon," the district said in a Facebook post. "Please look at the JCPS Start Smart page for accurate start time information."

JCPS spokesperson Mark Hebert said the district is "working to determine how many students/families received postcards with incorrect information," but "it was not all of them." About 93,000 postcards were mailed.

Hebert said the schools and start times on the incorrect postcards were "off by one line during printing," meaning some postcards went to the wrong student and had incorrect school information for the student the card was mailed to.

"Most students' families have already received communication from their schools so they should know what school the child will be attending. This mailing was intended to give them information about their school's start time," he said.

WDRB News filed an open records request and found that printing the incorrect postcards cost the district $3,379.47 and postage cost $15,757.05. The district said it's still calculating how much it will cost to reprint and resend another round of postcards.

The Jefferson County Board of Education approved the sweeping school start time changes back in March in a 6-1 vote.

JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio has said the new start times will help the district with a bus driver shortage and chronic absenteeism.

The district said more than 21,000 students have missed classes due to a late bus, adding up to more than 3 million minutes of instruction time lost. Students arriving or staying late can put a burden on staff at schools around the district. JCPS believes that burden will be alleviated with the new start times.

Previously, middle and high school instruction started at 7:40 a.m., while elementary schools started at 9:05 a.m. The plan for the 2023-24 school year includes nine different start times ranging from 7:40 a.m. to as late as 10:40 a.m. Most schools would start at either 7:40 a.m., 8:40 a.m. or 9:40 a.m.

To look at the JCPS Start Time Plan on the district's Start Smart page, click here.

Related Stories: