JCPS Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood has created a list of schools to be closed, consolidated and relocated in the district.
Days after announcing plans to change school start times next year, Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Brian Yearwood has put the proposal on hold, indicating more discussion is needed.
Just three days after news of the proposal broke, Yearwood wrote in an email on Nov. 24, “After careful review and continued dialogue with families, staff, and community stakeholders, JCPS will pause and withdraw the current start-time proposal.”
The proposal was to be voted on by members of the Jefferson County Board of Education during their next meeting on December 9. If approved, all school would start 20 minutes earlier and would represent the fourth bell schedule change in five years.
News of the proposal emerged on the evening of November 21, hours after JCPS leaders held a press conference in which they did not mention plans to change the start time. Gail Strange, a board member, told The Courier Journal that she was not aware of the plan before Friday.
“I heard about it when the news broke,” Strange said. She believes all board members heard feedback from families throughout the system over the weekend.
While JCPS spokeswoman Caroline Callahan confirmed the proposal existed, she did not provide further details about why it was being moved forward.
“This is one of the major themes Dr. Yearwood has heard from principals and staff — they want adjustments over time,” Callahan said in a statement, though she stopped short of identifying which principals want adjustments.
Since the current schedule was implemented in August 2024, many elementary principals have expressed dissatisfaction with the latest start time, starting at 9:40 a.m. and dismissing at 4:20 p.m.
Yearwood’s email about withdrawing her proposal said, “While the intent was to strengthen student learning and improve operational efficiency, it is clear that more analysis and deeper engagement is necessary before moving forward.”
“In the coming months, my administration will take the time necessary to examine a wide range of options that support strong instructional outcomes and protect a healthy work-life balance for our school-based staff,” it continued.
Why can’t JCPS go back to two start times?
JCPS has operated with two start times for decades, with all elementary schools starting at 9:05 a.m. and all middle and high schools starting at 7:40 a.m.
Proposing a new program a few years ago, leaders said the change was necessary due to a significant decline in the number of bus drivers in the district compared to previous years. With fewer drivers and two start times, many schools experienced delays, although the issue was not as significant and widespread as it later became.
Research showing older students benefit from later start times was also presented as another reason for the change, although many middle and high schools have continued to operate under earlier start times.
In August 2023, a new schedule began with nine different start times. After the new bus system proved highly flawed that year, an audit of the causes of the failures found that nine different timings did nothing to improve efficiency.
The following year, schools started at three different times between 7:30 and 9:40 a.m. Jefferson County Board of Education members approved the schedule with the request that district leaders come up with a better plan before the 2025–26 school year.
However, prior to this school year, the board was told that changing the start time would require the Department of Transportation to reroute the district. Additionally, it was noted that with the retirement of former Superintendent Marty Pollio, a new superintendent may also seek a change in start times. By delaying the change, the board provided two years of continuity for the schools.
Leaders have repeatedly argued against any schedule option that does not have at least three start times that are an hour apart, indicating that this is the only way to avoid students being late to and from school.
Christa Johnson covers education and children. Do you have story ideas or questions? Contact him at kjohnson3@gannett.com and subscribe to his newsletter.
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