JCPS parents have three things worth watching this week.

The Board Policy Committee meets Monday to review proposed policies involving school resource officers, employee social media use and how the superintendent is evaluated. District finances also remain a major story after new cash projections showed JCPS may have to borrow money, sell investments or use both to cover periods when cash on hand falls below zero. And although students have a normal school week ahead, families should already be planning for a student day off on September 23 and fall break beginning September 28.

JCPS Board and District Administration

Board Policy Committee meets Monday

The Jefferson County Board of Education does not have a regular business meeting during September 13 through 19, but its Board Policy Committee will meet Monday, September 14 at 5 p.m. Eastern.

The meeting will be held in the First Floor Conference Room at the VanHoose Education Center, 3332 Newburg Road. It will be conducted by video teleconference, with VanHoose serving as the primary location where committee members can be seen and heard by the public.

School resource officers: The committee will review Board Policy 02.31 covering school resource officers.

Employee social media: Proposed policies cover social media use by certified and classified employees.

Superintendent evaluation: The committee will review the policy and procedures used for the superintendent's summative evaluation.

The posted agenda identifies the policies under review but does not summarize the specific wording changes being proposed.

The committee is advisory and cannot take action that binds the full Jefferson County Board of Education.

The meeting agenda and packet are posted through the Kentucky School Boards Association public meeting portal. The posted material does not currently provide livestream or public comment instructions, so parents interested in participating should check the meeting page again before Monday.

The same school resource officer, employee social media and superintendent evaluation items are listed for first reading at the September 22 Board meeting.

JCPS Finances

JCPS has a cash problem to solve before October

At the September 9 Audit and Risk Management Advisory Committee meeting, district finance officials presented an update on the working budget and district finances.

New cash projections show JCPS expects its cash balance to fall below zero during portions of the next two years.

WDRB and WAVE reported that the projection for this school year falls roughly $20 million to $30 million below zero for several weeks. The projection for the following school year falls even further, bottoming out between $60 million and $70 million below zero. JCPS currently has about $79 million in investments and access to a $100 million line of credit. District officials expect to decide by early October whether to sell investments, use credit or use some combination of the two.

This does not mean JCPS suddenly runs out of annual revenue in October.

The district normally experiences a cash squeeze in the fall before property tax revenue arrives. In previous years, JCPS had enough cash available to bridge that period. Current projections show it may not this time.

JCPS is already working through major spending reductions. Decisions about restoring programs, adding expenses or making new commitments become harder when the district also has to manage a temporary cash shortfall.

The next public update is the September 22 Board meeting.

JCPS published a proposed property tax rate

JCPS also published a new property tax notice on September 10.

The district is proposing a general fund tax rate of 70.3 cents per $100 of assessed value on both real and personal property. The fiscal year 2026 rates were 71.7 cents on real property and 73.5 cents on personal property.

So the proposed rates themselves are lower.

JCPS's official September 10 notice says the proposed levy is expected to produce about $791.6 million after accounting for historical collection rates and delinquent collections, approximately $35.2 million more than the previous year.

For homeowners, a lower tax rate does not automatically mean a lower bill because the assessed value of the property also matters.

For now, the 70.3 cent rate is proposed, not adopted.

Important JCPS Dates and Deadlines

There are no districtwide student days off during September 13 through 19.

Two dates immediately afterward are much more important for family planning.

Wednesday, September 23: Family Teacher Conference Day. Students do not attend school. Individual schools may use different conference schedules and signup procedures, so parents should watch for instructions from their child's school.

Monday, September 28 through Friday, October 2: Fall break. Students are out for the entire week. Families needing childcare should start making arrangements now rather than waiting until the week before break.

Coming Up Next

September 22 Board meeting

The next regular Jefferson County Board of Education meeting is Tuesday, September 22 at 6 p.m. Eastern at the VanHoose Education Center, 3332 Newburg Road.

The meeting will be available through the district's livestream, and recordings are archived afterward. Members of the public may also attend in person.

The currently posted agenda includes updates on the financial recovery plan, cash flow and the fiscal year 2026 to 2027 working budget. The Board is also scheduled to consider resolutions connected to revenue anticipation notes.

The posted consent agenda includes proposed work at McFerran Preparatory Academy, a new school building at Cochrane Elementary, air conditioning work at Doss High and a boiler replacement at Valley High. Stadium renovation bids are also scheduled for Atherton, Butler, Eastern, Fairdale and Southern.

Another agenda item asks the Board to approve turnaround plans for Comprehensive Support and Improvement schools. The posted list includes Atkinson Academy, Blake Elementary, Cane Run Elementary, Cochran Elementary, Doss High, Fairdale High, Johnson Traditional Middle, Kerrick Elementary and The Academy at Shawnee, among others.

Families following JCPS finances, one of the listed schools or one of the affected construction projects may want September 22 on their calendar.

Family Weekend

There are several strong family options next weekend.

Jeffersontown Gaslight Festival Weekend runs September 18 through 20. Friday's festival hours are 7 to 10 p.m., Saturday runs 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday runs noon to 6 p.m. The Kids Zone will also be open during portions of the weekend.

NuLu Fest is Saturday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. along the 600 through 900 blocks of East Market Street. Admission is free, with music, food, shopping and activities for all ages.

BugFest at Bernheim is Saturday, September 19. Families can take part in bug safaris, an insect zoo, crafts, nature activities and a bug parade. The event itself is free, although Bernheim lists a suggested $15 per car admission for nonmembers.

JCPS Insider's Louisville Fall Festivals guide has the larger list for families looking for more options.

Before Monday

Parents can keep this week fairly simple:

  • Put the Monday, September 14 Board Policy Committee meeting on your radar if the school resource officer or employee social media policies interest you.

  • Expect a normal five day school week for students.

  • Look for your school's September 23 Family Teacher Conference schedule.

  • Start making childcare or activity plans for fall break, September 28 through October 2.

  • Keep an eye on JCPS finances. The next major public update comes at the September 22 Board meeting.

Did We Miss Something?

JCPS Insider wants to know about confirmed public meetings, parent forums, important deadlines, major school events, School Based Decision Making Council activity, school choice events and district notices that families should know about.

JCPS Insider is an independent parent resource and is not affiliated with Jefferson County Public Schools.