LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- After years of planning, the Jefferson County Public Schools revealed a draft Tuesday of its new student assignment plan, which would step up support for west Louisville schools and students to the tune of over $90 million.
JCPS hopes to make sweeping changes to its student assignment plan, which lays out where the district's 100,000 students attend school.
"Our current student assignment plan is a racial equity issue," Superintendent Marty Pollio said during Tuesday night's virtual board meeting. "Many of our Black students are not getting the same opportunities as our white students."
The proposed plan would give students in west Louisville a new choice: the option to go to school closer to home. Currently, thousands of students in the district's west end "satellite" areas don't have a second option, which forces many of them to commute to middle and high schools throughout the city.
"If a student lives in Jtown, and their resides is Carrithers Middle School, they can go to Jtown High School," Pollio said. "Right now, our west end students don't have that opportunity."
The plan would also ensure more diversity in magnet schools along with replicating popular programs to give more students access.
It also features a "West Louisville Support Plan" for the Academy @ Shawnee and a new west end middle school. The 56-page document acts as a roadmap to invest $91.7 million in more school resources in west Louisville.
The plan sets aside $42.5 million to build the new middle school. JCPS has not disclosed potential locations but plans to buy land in 2021.
Other supports include smaller class sizes (24:1), 1:1 technology for all students, plus expanded summer learning. Pollio hopes the Academy @ Shawnee and the new middle school will open for 3-4 weeks during summer break.
"The investment in west Louisville is long overdue, and these are the types of supports that the kids in these schools absolutely deserve," Pollio said.
The district said the plan is still subject to change. The board will take a vote at a future meeting.
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