Students in Jefferson County Public Schools could soon see changes in staffing and programs as the district plans major reductions to needs-based funding in next year’s budget.
Under the proposed budget, the district would cut $18 million from its Needs Index funding, money schools primarily use to pay staff. Documents presented to the Jefferson County Teachers Association indicate the cuts could affect up to 455 school-based positions across the district.
Educators say the reductions could mean the loss of teachers and programs that students rely on.
During a recent school board meeting, Matthew Kaufmann, a teacher at J. Graham Brown School and the Kentucky High School Teacher of the Year (2020), warned the changes could significantly impact students.
Last school year, schools received more than $31 million through the Needs Index program. The new proposal would reduce that amount by about $18 million, leaving schools with roughly $13 million.
How the Needs Index Works
The Needs Index distributes funding based on factors such as:
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The number of multilingual learners
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Students in Exceptional Child Education (ECE) programs
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Economically disadvantaged students
School principals decide how to spend the money, and district data shows about 90% of the funding currently goes toward salaries.
Schools Could Lose Programs and Staff
Some educators say the cuts could lead to major program reductions.
At J. Graham Brown School, Kaufmann said the changes could result in losing 11% of teachers and four classified staff positions, which could eliminate several courses including:
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AP Spanish and Spanish III
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AP social studies
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AP visual arts
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Theatre classes
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Literature electives
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Sixth- and seventh-grade world language classes
Other schools with high needs-based funding could also see large reductions. For example, Iroquois High School received nearly $970,000 this school year but could see that amount fall to about $270,000 under the proposed budget.
At Western Middle School for the Arts, principal Nayasha Owens Patterson said the cuts could mean the loss of three teachers, two security monitors and an art program within a magnet program.
District Leaders Say Cuts Are Necessary
JCPS Superintendent Brian Yearwood said the Needs Index funds pay for positions beyond the district’s required staffing levels.
He said the district can no longer afford those extra funds but emphasized that schools will still receive their base staffing allocations to prevent overcrowded classrooms.
Ongoing Budget Challenges
Schools may also face additional reductions, including cuts to middle school team funding.
Some educators worry the changes could widen disparities between schools, noting that campuses with greater needs could see the largest losses.
Initial staffing levels for the upcoming school year are set in February to meet the March 1 state deadline, though staffing adjustments can still occur at the beginning of the school year if enrollment changes, with final adjustments required by Sept. 15.
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