Tagged: JCPS

Residents, child advocacy groups, and Jefferson County Public Schools officials will attend a meeting Tuesday night to discuss the district’s disciplinary practices, which have been called into question in the past year.

JCPS is one of the top districts in the state that disproportionately disciplines minority and disability students, according University of Kentucky report based on 2008-2009 data. 

Of the top 10 districts that show disproportionate ratios, JCPS is the only one that hasn’t adequately changed its policy, said attorney Leslie Jones with the independent state agency Kentucky Protection and Advocacy.

The Bluegrass Institute has released a report showing the largest achievement gaps in Jefferson County Public Schools occur in classrooms in the eastern part of the county.

The policy group created the report for the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO), which is urging lawmakers to approve charter schools. Charters were rejected by the General Assembly this past legislative session, but some believe the issue made progress.

“Let’s bring somebody into this state that has a proven record that will make a difference with our children,” said Pastor Jerry Stephenson, Louisville's BAEO coordinator. The current education system isn’t working and the despair of the education system can be seen in the violence in certain West Louisville neighborhoods, he said.

Part 1 of WFPL’s series this week looking at three collaborative studies on Project Proficiency from JCPS administrators.

For the first time, studies are showing the affects of Jefferson County Public Schools’ "Project Proficiency," the district’s response for turning around student achievement in its persistently low-achieving (PLA) schools, according to the No Child Left Behind Act. 

The effort ensures all students understand the top concepts in math and reading in depth, and it requires teacher collaboration to move the lowest achieving students forward.

The Jefferson County Board of Education has approved changes to the district's student assignment plan that will reduce school options but give many students shorter bus rides.

After lengthy discussion Monday night, the board ultimately approved revisions to the elementary school plan that create 13 clusters in which parents can choose schools for their children. The board retained the current six cluster system for middle and high schools, but approved new diversity criteria for all schools.  

The Jefferson County Board of Education will vote on two key agenda items at Monday night's board meeting.

The first is the evaluation of Superintendent Donna Hargens’ first year on the job. Board chair Steve Imhoff says he’ll be surprised if the evaluation isn’t favorable. But there’s no way of knowing what discussions the board has had.

The board met once in private last month and will again meet behind closed doors before Monday night’s board meeting.

The decision to meet in executive session is their choice. Legislation was changed in 2010 to allow this, after the Courier-Journal sued the district to gain access to then-superintendent Sheldon Berman’s evaluation.