Small Savings, Big Impact: How JCPS Could Save with School Closure

Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) has proposed a plan to close and relocate several schools in an effort to save the district approximately $4 million. This initiative, led by Superintendent Brian Yearwood, is aimed at helping the district achieve significant budget cuts ahead of the next fiscal year. During a press conference on November 21, Yearwood emphasized that even small measures can contribute to larger financial goals.

The proposed changes include closing two schools, consolidating two others, and relocating two more before the start of the next school year. These adjustments are part of a broader strategy to reduce the district’s overall budget by $132 million, which will be presented in January. If approved by the Jefferson County Board of Education, the plan would involve closing Zachary Taylor Elementary and Liberty High. King Elementary students would be moved to Maupin Elementary, while Waller-Williams Environmental and the Georgia Chaffee Teenage Parent Program (TAPP) would be relocated.

Yearwood stated that these changes are essential for the district's long-term sustainability. Before the board votes on the plan, JCPS is hosting three public forums during the first week of December to gather community input. Families can also provide feedback through an online form. The timing of the announcement allows families to make informed choices about school assignments, as the application window remains open until December 19.

The plan is scheduled to be voted on by the board during a meeting on December 9. The decision to close specific schools was based on several factors, including enrollment levels, building conditions, and per-student costs. For example, Zachary Taylor Elementary, which opened in 1959 and is located near the Springhurst neighborhood in east Louisville, operates at just under 50% of its optimal capacity. The last major renovation occurred in 1990, and the cost of educating each student there was approximately $27,500.

According to Chief Operations Officer Rob Fulk, the closure of Zachary Taylor is not expected to cause overcrowding in nearby elementary schools. Absorbing its students would bring the overall capacity of those schools to 88%, he said.

Liberty High, another school slated for closure, was originally established to support students in credit recovery. However, JCPS now offers comprehensive credit recovery resources across the district, making the standalone model unnecessary. The district’s website explains that students from Liberty would return to their home schools, where they would receive personalized learning plans and social-emotional support to help them catch up on credits. The annual cost of educating students at Liberty High was nearly $67,000.

The other school set to close is King Elementary, located on Vermont Avenue. JCPS is proposing King students be moved into Maupin's building on Catalpa Street. The two schools are about a 9-minute drive apart.

King's enrollment is about 67% of its building's optimal capacity, while Maupin's is about 53%. Maupin is a newer building, constructed in 1998, while King's building was constructed in 1968 and underwent significant renovations in 1988.

JCPS says Maupin is a "more cost-effective facility," though the difference in cost per student between Maupin and King is not significant. An internal calculation shows the district spends just over $33,000 per student at King, while Maupin's rate is about $30,500.

The reasons behind moving both Waller-Williams and TAPP are low enrollment and high program costs, according to JCPS. The district's plan is to move Waller-Williams to an existing facility in Fairdale and move TAPP to the early childhood center on Male High School's campus. The latter move, Fulk said, is expected to benefit JCPS' transportation system, given TAPP students come from across the county and Male's campus is more centrally located than the program's current location in Fairdale.

Students at the early childhood center on Male's campus will instead attend the newly built center next to Watterson Elementary.

How would these changes save JCPS money?

The district could save roughly $1.6 million each year by closing King Elementary, Fulk said. If the district is able to sell the land the school is currently on, he estimates it is worth about $800,000.

The savings from closing Zachary Taylor are similar, though the land is worth significantly more at $3 million, Fulk said.

Relocating Waller-Williams could save about $300,000 a year, Fulk continued, while there aren't significant cost benefits to relocating TAPP, aside from the potential transportation savings from having the program more centrally located.

In regard to Liberty High, Fulk said his team had not recommended the school's closure and could not say how much it would save the district.

How many staff members will be impacted by JCPS' plan to close schools?

Closing King, Zachary Taylor and Liberty High will impact about 165 staff members, Yearwood said. While the district will attempt to relocate all of the employees to other schools, he stopped short of saying there wouldn't be job losses.

When are the public forums on JCPS' school closure plan?

Before board members vote on the proposal, JCPS will host three public forums where community members can voice their concerns and ask questions. Families can also share their thoughts through an online form.

The forums will be:

• 5-6 p.m. Monday, Dec. 1 at Kammerer Middle School, 7315 Westboro Road
• 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 2 at the JCPS Center for Professional Learning, 3903 Atkinson Square Drive
• 5-6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 3 at the Academy @ Shawnee, 4001 Herman St.

Krista Johnson covers education and children. Have story ideas or questions? Contact her at kjohnson3@gannett.com and subscribe to her newsletter.

Thanks to our partner and fiscal sponsor, Journalism Funding Partners, a verified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization (tax ID #84-2968843), you can invest in the future of this reporting. Make your tax-deductible donation today at givebutter.com/cj-giving and support local news that serves the Louisville community.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: 'Small things add up': How much JCPS could save with school closure plan