student assignment plan jcps

School Choice Proposal

Update to school boundaries, moving forward with equity.

JCPS began working with a committee made of community representatives, parents and staff in 2017 to reimagine the Student Assignment plan. The current Student Assignment plan has not undergone a comprehensive review in almost 40 years . Historically, the plan has advantaged White affluent families with greater financial and social capital.

JCPS is committed to co-creating a plan with our community that ensures that all students have equitable access to high quality school choice options within JCPS. After working with the committee, the Board adopted the Guiding Principles below and these have shaped the work in the new proposal .

Guiding Principles

Choice access ease of understanding diversity.

Equity, Anticipated Advancements in Experiences and Outcomes

This proposal will lead to improved student experiences and outcomes :

Students in the Choice Zone will have two school options

Opportunities to stay with peers from middle to high school

Opportunities for increased participation in after school activities and athletics

Opportunities for improved attendance and sense of belonging

Opportunities for increased family engagement

Ease of understanding for families to engage in choice

The section of the plan on Magnets will lead to the following benefits:

Improve student outcomes for Black and Brown students

Ensure magnet schools and programs are representative of the District’s diversity

Increase transparency and ease of understanding

Decision making about leaving a school stays with families

Increase access and opportunities through additional seats and programs

Improve quality of magnet programming

What are the Key Elements of the Proposed Plan?

Dual Resides - providing an opportunity for students in the Choice Zone to choose to attend a school close to home or at a distance. The below linked proposed plan has been revised since its initial presentation in 2019 to include elementary schools.

This key element of the proposed plan affects thousands of students and is explored fully in the Summary of School Choice proposals and elaborated on further below for easy access.

Boundary Adjustments and Feeder Patterns - aligning feeder patterns, beginning at the Elementary level, to enhance predictability of school paths. Elementary schools in the Choice Zone will be aligned with high schools by being placed within the high schools’ existing networks. These elementary schools’ cluster options will include close-to-home and distanced options.

Magnet Strategy - creating a support structure for strong magnets that ends school-initiated exits; centralizes school lotteries for those that have a lottery; sets diversity targets; and creates new, engaging magnets.

Choice Zone Support Plan - providing funding, staffing, and other resources to support schools in the Choice Zone, with continuous review.

New Technology System and Outreach - implementing clear, easy to understand platforms that make participating in the school choice process more accessible for families.

CPS officials gave overviews of these three areas at a March 29 public forum at the Academy @ Shawnee. Here are videos of those presentations:

Dual Resides and Feeder Patterns

Magnet Strategy

Investment Plan

Linked below, you will find the Summary of School Choice Proposals, which includes the Choice Zone Support Plan. The Choice Zone Support plan provides an overview of proposed programming and supports for the elementary, middle, and high schools that are, or will be, located in the Choice Zone. We are seeking feedback and hope you will provide your voice.

New School Choice Proposal

See Your Schools Under the Proposed Plan

View the Detailed School Choice Proposal

Access the detailed School Choice Proposal on the JCPS website where it can be translated into multiple languages

In order to fully implement this proposal, it would require the construction of a new school. Along with this new middle school, we would also need to consider building another new middle school and potentially a new high school in order to adequately meet the needs of our students and families in West Louisville.

Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, JCPS would implement the Dual Resides portion of this proposal for incoming kindergarten, 6 th , and 9 th grade students, if this measure is approved by the Jefferson County Board of Education. The Jefferson County Board of Education is likely to decide on the matter prior to the start of the 2022-23 school year.

Understanding How Dual Resides Works

Dual resides proposal.

After years of working with and listening to community members, JCPS has drafted a proposal to the public to provide middle and high school students in West Louisville more choice about where they attend school. Under this new proposal , middle and high school students would have the choice of attending a school close to home or attending a school in another part of the county. Students would be able to attend a new West Louisville middle school and The Academy @ Shawnee for high school, if this plan is approved by the Jefferson County Board of Education.

After receiving community feedback, we believe families want a say in where their child attends school. Middle and high school students in West Louisville are the only students in Jefferson County Public Schools who don’t have a close to home option and are assigned to schools that are sometimes up to 14 miles away. JCPS has drafted this proposal in the spirit of working with families and ensuring choice for all families.

Finding Your School

See the proposed school choices versus the current assignment.

So what does this mean for a Family?

Currently, if a family lives at 3400 West Market Street, the student has a choice of elementary schools in Cluster 2 (Foster, Dixie, Eisenhower, Greenwood, Johnsontown Road, J.F. Kennedy, Sanders, Wilkerson). The student is assigned to Frost/Stuart for middle school and Waggener for high school.

This means that the student is assigned to a middle and high school far away from their home.

When the student makes friends with classmates and it is time to go to middle or high school, they will be pulled away from the students they have been in school with and sent away from their classmates. This disrupts the student's sense of belonging. Meanwhile, many of the Frost/Stuart students, whose class the aforementioned student joins, live closer to the school and have been together since elementary school. Further compounding the disruption to sense of belonging, the students who live close to Frost/Stuart are (for the most part) currently assigned to Valley or Doss but this student will go all the way across town to Waggener where they will again know fewer classmates. When students have a stronger sense of belonging, there are both immediate and long-term positive consequences for their academic performance and well-being.

How is the new plan different?

In elementary school, this student is assigned to the “Ballard High School cluster” (elementary clusters will no longer be referred to by a number) and has four close to home choices, expanded from the existing options in the numbered cluster system: Portland, Atkinson, Breckenridge/Franklin, Byck and six farther away choices: Chancey, Dunn, Norton, Norton Commons, Wilder, Zachary Taylor. The family will consider which of these choices is the best fit for their child.

In middle school, the student is assigned to Kammerer Middle School OR the new West Louisville Middle School. The family will consider which of these choices is the better fit for their child.

In high school, the student is assigned to (e.g. receives automatic acceptance to) Ballard High School OR The Academy @ Shawnee. They also have the option to apply to any other high school in Ballard’s network. The family will consider which of these choices is the better fit for their child.

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JCPS releases school choice proposal

What you need to know, jcps superintendent dr. marty pollio releases in-depth draft of school choice plan it is the first major review of the jcps student assignment plan in almost 40 years if approved, students would get to choose where they want to attend school jcps has set up a website to take parent questions and feedback.

If approved by the Jefferson County Board of Education, the plan would allow every student, regardless of where they live, a chance to go to the school of their choice.

In a news release sent to Spectrum News 1, Dr. Pollio said, “This is the work product of years of discussion, research and input, and is without a doubt one of the most significant steps our district can take to create a more successful environment for our students,” Dr. Pollio said, “Because this is such a critical step in the future of our district, we want to be fully transparent with our families about how this proposal would impact them and their children.”

Along with the comprehensive plan, JCPS launched a tool that allows families to type in their address and see where their children could be assigned if the plan is approved.

 JCPS says its plan emphasizes five principles: equity, access, ease of understanding, diversity and choice.

Along with the draft proposal, JCPS launched a new tool that gives families the opportunity to type in their address and see where their students may be assigned, if approved.

The new school choice proposal also creates a Choice Zone—an area in and around West Louisville. Students living in the Choice Zone would have two options for guaranteed admission as well as magnet, network and transfer options. They also have opportunities to stay in the same school with peers all the way from kindergarten through graduation; and improved opportunities to participate in after-school activities and athletics.

Families can read the comprehensive 307-page draft, ask questions and leave feedback on the School Choice Proposal web page .

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Why new JCPS student assignment plan will lead to West End segregation: Opinion

Parents, do you know that the Student Assignment Plan for the West End focuses on eleven elementary schools, one middle school and one high school and will result in segregated schools?

The Choice Zone Elementary Schools are : Atkinson Elementary, Breckinridge-Franklin Elementary, Byck Elementary, Cochran Elementary, Engelhard Elementary,J.F. Kennedy Elementary, King Elementary, Maupin Elementary , McFerran Preparatory Academy, Portland Elementary, and  Wheatley Elementary.

More: The Last Stop: Louisville's troubled busing legacy may be nearing its end

The Choice Zone Middle School is to be constructed in the near future. The location is unknown at this time. The Choice Zone High school is The Academy of Shawnee. According to the plan, these schools will be segregated and they are all low-performing schools.

Students attending these schools have two options: to attend the school closer to their home or to attend an away school in their zone/cluster. The term used is Dual Resides.

The students in the Choice Zone Schools are assigned to attend the new Western Middle school to be built in the West End and to attend the Academy of Shawnee for high school. The elementary, middle and high school will continue to be segregated and low-performing.

If students do not desire to attend the home school, they have options: to apply for the away school or apply to a magnet school. Placement is not guaranteed and will depend on enrollment at the away schools. Students must list their first, second and third choice. Transportation may or may not be provided.

If approved by the Board, this option will be available to students entering kindergarten,  sixth, and ninth grades beginning in the 2023-24 school year. This proposal will not change the assignment for a student living in the study area currently enrolled in a middle or high school.

More: After 47 years, Louisville student assignment plan poised for major change. Will it work?

The schools in the Choice Zones and the district must be diversified. We have worked too hard for integration to return to segregation. Research shows that students who attend integrated schools have positive outcomes, score higher on tests, are more likely to attend college, graduate, are more financially secure, live in diverse neighborhoods and have better health.

Parents, please use the tools provided by JCPS to discover the schools your students will attend and find out the options for your student.

 Louisville  branch NAACP and Coalition of Black Retired Principals and Administrators

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New school year will bring ‘biggest changes’ to JCPS in decades

From new start times, to new schools, to new curriculum — major changes are in store for Jefferson County Public Schools when students return to the classroom next week on Aug. 9.

JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said the 2023-2024 school year will bring “probably the biggest change we’ve seen in decades here at JCPS.”

“These are long overdue changes that should have happened many years ago,” Pollio said during a press conference Monday morning.

“But we’re taking them on now because we know we need bold change in JCPS.”

The most obvious change to families will likely be the new arrival and dismissal times for schools . Most schools will see their school day shift, with most middle and high schools moving to an earlier start time, and many elementary schools starting later. That’s a change the district made to make do with fewer bus drivers, and to give some teens more sleep.

Pollio warned the shift may make the first couple weeks be rocky.

“We are asking the community for patience, understanding that there will be some challenges. But we are up to those challenges,” Pollio said.

Families can find their school’s start time at this link: https://www.jefferson.kyschools.us/back-school-2023-24 .

The JCPS page also has links to forms for families to find their bus route or request a new stop .

Pollio encouraged families to review the back-to-school information in the next few days.

Here are the other big changes in store for the 2023-2024 school year:

Student assignment

This fall will be the first year under JCPS’ overhauled student assignment plan, which will have the greatest impact on families in west Louisville.

The Jefferson County Board of Education approved the plan last June , after years of deliberation. The plan allows students in the majority-Black West End to attend a school closer to home. Since the 1970s, students from the West End have mostly been assigned to schools in whiter, wealthier neighborhoods to the east and south, with the goal of creating integrated schools. Proponents say the new plan finally allows Black and low-income students in the West End the same close-to-home choices afforded students in whiter, more affluent sections of town. Critics, however, note that the decision signals the end of the district’s nationally-recognized design to promote racial and economic integration .

Check out our 2020 series on student assignment here: https://www.lpm.org/tags/student-assignment-series

JCPS refers to the area students have historically been bused away from as the “Choice Zone.” The Choice Zone covers most of the West End, downtown and parts of the Highlands and south Louisville. Students in the Choice Zone have the choice between a school in the West End or a school further away to the east or south.

In response to concerns from the Louisville NAACP and other leading Black organizations, the board agreed to provide extra funding for the high-poverty, majority-Black West End schools the plan will create in the Choice Zone.

“The district has invested additional funding in Choice Zone schools, so their students have the opportunities to experience smaller class sizes, more field trips, after school activities and enrichment programs,” JCPS Director of Choice Zone Programs Jamiera Johnson said.

Schools in the Choice Zone are working to attract and retain more educators by offering teachers yearly stipends of $8,000 and administrators $10,000.

The plan required the district to start a new middle school in west Louisville. This year, sixth-graders at the new Dr. J. Blaine Hudson Middle School will be temporarily taught at the old Phillis Wheatley Elementary School building while the district constructs a new building.

The Choice Zone also includes a brand new elementary school: Dr. William H. Perry Elementary, the first elementary school built in the West End in at least 20 years . Perry Elementary will welcome students who were formerly zoned for Roosevelt-Perry Elementary and Phillis Wheatley Elementary.

The new student assignment plan will also lead to greater numbers of students at the Academy @ Shawnee.

New curriculum

The 2023-2024 school year will also be the first year JCPS has a district-wide K-8 curriculum in reading and math.

Until this year, most school’s Site-Based Decision-Making Council chose each schools’ curriculum. But critics say that led to varying quality of curriculum throughout the district, and made it difficult for students who change schools.

State lawmakers handed district superintendents the power to set curriculum during the 2021 legislative session. Pollio said a standard curriculum will help ensure equal access to quality instruction throughout the district.

“That is going to be an enormous difference-maker for us in the district — that we have an aligned curriculum across all of our schools,” he said.

Weapons detection

This fall will be the first time JCPS students will have to walk through weapons detectors to get into their school buildings.

Historically the Jefferson County Board of Education has shied away from metal detection, over concerns it makes schools feel prison-like and leads to criminalization of students.

However, earlier this month the board approved a controversial $11.7 million contract to bring Evolv AI weapons detectors to middle and high schools this year.

The company has been criticized for a lack of transparency around its capabilities , and for its failure to detect many knives. District officials say they believe the technology will allow the district to scan for firearms, while minimizing searches of students.

Pollio said he expected to have weapons detection systems operational “by the end of September or first of October.”

Support for this story was provided in part by the Jewish Heritage Fund .

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How you can weigh in on changes to JCPS' student assignment plan

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —  Have thoughts on how Jefferson County Public Schools assigns kids to schools? Now is your chance to weigh in on new student assignment proposals.

Kentucky's largest school district will hold a virtual summit Wednesday at 6 p.m. to discuss two proposals that would allow students in west Louisville to attend schools closer to home. Feedback can be submitted through an online survey .

JCPS has been considering partially rolling back a key element of its student assignment plan — using "satellite areas" to divvy up the predominantly black West End and assign kids to schools across the county to increase diversity.

In the proposed plans, about 6,000 west Louisville middle and high school students would get to choose between going to a school outside of their neighborhood or going to one closer to home.

The proposal would give West End students a choice they didn't previously have, district officials have said. 

More news: Candidate for JCPS school board bashes 'illegal aliens' and 'dumbbutt teachers'

Under the current plan, there are about 50 feeder patterns a west Louisville student could move through in the district. The two proposals crafted by an outside consultant would shrink that to a little over a dozen. 

More details on the proposals, including where west Louisville students would attend if they chose to stay near their neighborhood, haven't been released yet. 

Superintendent Marty Pollio has said the two-choice plan would require JCPS to build a high school and two middle schools in the West End, with the money potentially coming from a recent tax increase .

It is unclear how the dual resides plan would work without new school buildings, as district officials have said there are not enough seats in western Louisville schools for students living in the area. 

A task force of district officials, parents and community members has been reviewing how JCPS assigns students to schools and the equity of its slate of magnet programs for more than a year. 

JCPS reviews its assignment plan every five to seven years, but the most recent tweaks come at a pivotal time for the district. The district is required to change its plan in some capacity by the fall to meet a corrective action plan that helped JCPS avoid a state takeover.

A final vote on any assignment changes will come in the wake of unrest over systemic racism and police brutality in Louisville, potentially shifting how school board members view an assignment plan nationally lauded for integrating schools while simultaneously reducing the options given to black students.

Read this: Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman calls for bias training in Kentucky schools after protests

Reach Olivia Krauth at [email protected] or 502-582-4471, and on Twitter at @oliviakrauth . Support strong local journalism by subscribing: courier-journal.com/subscribe.