Jefferson County schools’ tentative budget

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Reaction is pouring in to Jefferson County Public Schools’ tentative budget for the 2025-26 school year. The Board of Education reviewed the proposal Tuesday. 

JCPS is in the second part of the budgeting process. Chief Financial Officer Eddie Muns said they’re just below their $100 million reduction goal. 

“We came up with $99.1 million worth of budget reductions and tried to make sure that they impacted students to the least extent possible,” Muns said.

JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said the district is going back to 2019 funding levels without federal funds they received after the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our budget cuts really at this point were either things that we added because of those ESSER [Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund] from COVID or one-time expenses like weapon detection and things like that … I think we’ve done a really good job of making those cuts without having to cut any staff whatsoever,” Pollio said. “I’m proud of that work.” 

One of the largest cuts is eliminating the $12 million in transportation stipends to help families drive students to school. Those funds were originally put into place after the district cut back on transportation to magnet and traditional schools.

Families received up to $10 per day to take their children to school if they qualified for free or reduced lunch. Around 17,000 students were eligible for the transportation stipends.

JCPS parent Tabetha Smith, who lives in Louisville’s South End, said not having transportation at all has hurt her family. 

“The problem is, it’s now turned into a position that not only are we not going to transport your children, but we’re also now not going to financially support you while you are trying to work, while you are trying to do what you can for your child’s education,” Smith said. “Instead of supporting us as parents, you’re doing the complete opposite.”

Smith fears she may have to pull her kids out of their current middle schools.

“My daughter is smart, and I’m proud that she has made it this far,” Smith said. “And yet we’re going to turn around and penalize her with not being able to go to school and having to go from Noe Middle to Moore.” 

Muns said that with this current budget, there will be certain challenges that will have to be addressed in the future.

“We have certain salary schedules that we know need to be reviewed for certain positions,” Muns said. “Another is we have we don’t have a current replacement schedule for things that we know we will need a replacement schedule for. One of those is buses; another one is Chromebooks.” 

While there are almost $100 million in cuts, the budget still calls for nearly $30 million for racial equity initiatives and little more than $11 million for mental health practitioners.

JCPS will show the working budget in September, which will include updated projections for property tax revenue and a better idea of the district’s financial path.

The district’s goal is to cut another $50 million for the 2026-27 school year.