Lawmakers propose task force to study possible JCPS split

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky legislature has taken the first step in what could lead to a possible restructuring, or even splitting up, of Jefferson County Public Schools.

Rep. Ken Fleming, R-Louisville, and Sen. Lindsey Tichenor, R-Smithfield, on Monday filed concurrent resolutions that would create a task force to study how to create an “efficient and effective school district.”

Lurking beneath the language of the resolutions is a pointed question: Should JCPS be split up into smaller units to address performance and logistical shortfalls?

JCPS leaders are opposed to the measure, spokesman Mark Hebert said in an email.

"This task force is obviously stacked in a way to come to a pre-ordained conclusion, that is, to split up JCPS," Hebert wrote. The superintendent, "Dr. (Marty) Pollio, and anyone who truly understands education governance, is excluded from the task force, and that says it all."

The proposed study is one of several measures Louisville’s GOP lawmakers vowed to take back in August after what they termed an “epic failure” to the start of this school year, when busing plans fell apart, forcing the district to cancel school.

The 12 Louisville-area GOP legislators penned an open letter saying they would take a number of steps, including creating a legislative study about the possibility of restructuring JCPS because “the district is too big to properly manage.”

The House and Senate resolutions filed Monday would get the ball rolling on that, if passed, which is likely given the Republican supermajorities in both chambers. The task force would meet at least twice per month, with the results slated to be submitted to the state's Legislative Research Commission by Dec. 1.

The task force would review at least 16 areas of school district operations from transportation to district boundaries to funding and come up with a list of recommendations for next year’s General Assembly. It would also take testimony from education groups, parents, teachers, school administrators and others.

Fleming and Tichenor said the General Assembly needs to take a close look at JCPS because the state helps fund the district and JCPS students make up one in seven schoolchildren the state.

Tichenor, who is sponsoring the companion resolution in the Senate, said that JCPS students’ poor educational outcomes also necessitate the study.

“Are [taxpayers] getting a return on their investment?” Fleming asked.

JCPS' structure is also shaped by state law, necessitating the involvement of a state legislative task force, said Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Middletown.

"There's no way to divide the school system right now because of state law. ... Do we need to amend state law to make it more efficient and produce better results at the local level?" Nemes said.

Fleming said it is not a foregone conclusion that the commission would recommend breaking JCPS into smaller districts and that the purpose of the task force is to find solutions, not punish JCPS.

“Remember, we are here to try to help JCPS, get them in a better position, not to go after them or anything like that,” Fleming said.

State Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, said he does not have a problem with the task force at a general level but has concerns about how it will be carried out.

"There seems to be a preconceived notion that ... we're gonna divide the structure some sort of way and by the way, how are we going to do it?" Neal said. "I'm interested in seeing who ends up at that table."

The task force will have 13 members, including lawmakers, businesspeople, a teacher or former teacher, a representative from the Louisville's mayor office, and two taxpayers who live in in the JCPS district and have children who attend or recently graduated from JCPS.

Fleming encouraged people interested in serving on the task force to reach out to lawmakers or the Legislative Research Commission.

The state budget passed by the House also includes $1.5 million for a state audit of JCPS over the next two fiscal years, to be supervised by state Auditor Allison Ball. That audit will also be considered by the task force, Fleming said.

Reach Rebecca Grapevine at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: JCPS split could be studied by Kentucky legislature-created task force