Teachers are raising concerns about changes within Jefferson County Public Schools as leaders move to cut jobs and restructure schools to address a budget deficit totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On Friday night, the JCPS school board approved a plan that eliminates hundreds of positions and restructures others.
Sarah Yost, an academic instructional coach (AIC) at Brown School, attended the meeting and learned that her role was among those targeted for cuts.
“I just think that while I’m sure that we need to make cuts, this was not the way to do it,” Yost said. “Cutting teachers, harming students is not the way.”
The board approved the plan, which eliminates 648 positions, reduces 32, and adds 273.
“Acting now protects students and it protects our staff in the long term,” said JCPS Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood before the vote.
Under the plan, positions such as bookkeepers, AICs, and safety administrators will shift from individual schools to the central office.
“I think another less effective model is to have [AICs] centralized,” Yost said. “In my experience, we used to have that a couple of decades ago and it wasn’t as effective as having a coach in a school, even if that coach is teaching a part of the day.”
Yost explained that as an AIC, she helps implement mandated curriculum and works to identify why students struggle and how to address those challenges.
“I am 100% worried about our students and the future of our city,” Yost said.
Her greatest concern centers on the number of teachers who may lose their jobs and the limited open positions available for reassignment.
Erin Hogan, a teacher at Gheens Early Childhood Center, also sought clarity during the school board meeting. Staff members still have unanswered questions about changes announced in January to close and reassign schools. Under that earlier plan, Liberty High School will move to Gheens Early Childhood Center.
“We are getting no answers,” Hogan said. “We do not know if we’ll have jobs next year…It kind of is striking with they say they’re cutting from Central Office first, but in reality, we were told, ‘Do not tell the families that we’re closing next year.’. No one knows where they’re actually cutting the jobs.”
The NAACP in Louisville is also monitoring the developments.
“How the students who are the poorest and most marginalized in our community, what will be the long term effects for them?” said Michelle Pennix, chair of the Education Committee for the NAACP.
Pennix, a retired JCPS principal, said bookkeepers work closely with school staff on financial matters. She expressed concern that centralizing the role could complicate accountability.
Yost also questioned whether moving safety administrators to the central office could affect school security.
Teachers continue to watch the situation closely, fearing the changes will lead to larger class sizes and fewer instructional staff members.
JCPS Board Chair Dr. Corrie Shull described Friday’s vote as “a starting line,” noting that the board will continue discussions when the draft budget is presented in May.
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