It's the end-of-the-year report card for JCPS through the eyes of the district's leader. Superintendent Marty Pollio sat down with WLKY to discuss transportation, school safety, the work to close the achievement gap between Black and white students, and the search for his replacement as he gets ready to retire. He says he's pleased with the first half of the year overall. One area he spotlighted was chronic absenteeism within the district, which is down 5%. "You're talking, you know, 1,500 to 2,000 less kids are being chronically absent than the year before," he said. Pollio says his toughest decision this year was the decision to cut busing routes. Now, with 68 TARC drivers ready to hit the road, he says some routes to traditional and magnet schools may be restored.Pollio would need to take the recommendation to the board, which could happen at the Jan. 28 meeting. From when the board votes to implementation, it could take six weeks before changes happen. "We have to have our routing team, has to route those who choose to take transportation back," he said. "And then we'll have to, you know, assign the routes, and there's a process of potentially rerouting where bus drivers get to pick the routes again."He estimates some routes could be restored by March. In the meantime, he says bus driver recruitment is going well. "So we have actually reversed the trend here recently, which is stop the slide. We tend to be moving forward right now," he said. Between TARC drivers and recent new hires, the district says it now has more than 600 bus drivers. Pollio also discussed who would take over after him. He is set to retire after this school year, and the process to find his replacement is underway. He says a ruling upheld by the Kentucky Supreme Court could impact the search.Senate Bill 1 says the board cannot meet more than once every four weeks. "That means between now and the time I walk out the door, they can have no more than six meetings, which means a superintendent has to be selected in six meetings, which is very improbable, if not impossible, to select a superintendent in six board meetings," he said. "So I think the board's going to have to make some decisions. I mean, that may mean an interim superintendent or an acting superintendent which is, what that does is just stalls progress," he added. Senate president Robert Stivers praised the ruling on Senate Bill 1 last week. "This ruling is a shot across the bow to Kentucky's largest school district, one which continues to fail its students, particularly low-income and minority students," said Stivers. "As education receives the largest portion of our state's budget, funded by hard-working Kentuckians, this body will continue to provide the legal framework by which Kentucky's public school boards educate our children." We asked Pollio if a replacement is not found in time, will he stay? He says he does not know. For now, he hopes his successor upholds progress made by the district over the last few years. This includes work to close the achievement gap between white and Black students. "If we are going to be successful in closing that achievement gap and making outcomes better for our students of color, then we have to be very intentional about how we, what steps we take in order to do that," he said. They have made strides in recent years within JCPS. Data shows the gap between Black and white students' graduation rates is nearly eliminated, with postsecondary rates cut in half. As many corporations and universities pull back on their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, we asked Pollio if DEI programs will continue once he leaves. "So I hope that continues," he said. "But that would be for the next superintendent, board to decide."As the search for his replacement continues, a legislative task force will continue to study JCPS next year. The Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force was unable to issue recommendations this month as planned for the district. At this time, there's no plan to break up JCPS, as some have feared. "So, not a good idea," said Pollio. "I think the task force has realized that and made that clear that that's not possible. So I don't see that happening."Pollio's last day will be July 1, 2025.
It's the end-of-the-year report card for JCPS through the eyes of the district's leader.
Superintendent Marty Pollio sat down with WLKY to discuss transportation, school safety, the work to close the achievement gap between Black and white students, and the search for his replacement as he gets ready to retire.
He says he's pleased with the first half of the year overall.
One area he spotlighted was chronic absenteeism within the district, which is down 5%.
"You're talking, you know, 1,500 to 2,000 less kids are being chronically absent than the year before," he said.
Pollio says his toughest decision this year was the decision to cut busing routes.
Now, with 68 TARC drivers ready to hit the road, he says some routes to traditional and magnet schools may be restored.
Pollio would need to take the recommendation to the board, which could happen at the Jan. 28 meeting.
From when the board votes to implementation, it could take six weeks before changes happen.
"We have to have our routing team, has to route those who choose to take transportation back," he said. "And then we'll have to, you know, assign the routes, and there's a process of potentially rerouting where bus drivers get to pick the routes again."
He estimates some routes could be restored by March.
In the meantime, he says bus driver recruitment is going well.
"So we have actually reversed the trend here recently, which is stop the slide. We tend to be moving forward right now," he said.
Between TARC drivers and recent new hires, the district says it now has more than 600 bus drivers.
Pollio also discussed who would take over after him.
He is set to retire after this school year, and the process to find his replacement is underway.
He says a ruling upheld by the Kentucky Supreme Court could impact the search.
Senate Bill 1 says the board cannot meet more than once every four weeks.
"That means between now and the time I walk out the door, they can have no more than six meetings, which means a superintendent has to be selected in six meetings, which is very improbable, if not impossible, to select a superintendent in six board meetings," he said.
"So I think the board's going to have to make some decisions. I mean, that may mean an interim superintendent or an acting superintendent which is, what that does is just stalls progress," he added.
Senate president Robert Stivers praised the ruling on Senate Bill 1 last week.
"This ruling is a shot across the bow to Kentucky's largest school district, one which continues to fail its students, particularly low-income and minority students," said Stivers. "As education receives the largest portion of our state's budget, funded by hard-working Kentuckians, this body will continue to provide the legal framework by which Kentucky's public school boards educate our children."
We asked Pollio if a replacement is not found in time, will he stay? He says he does not know.
For now, he hopes his successor upholds progress made by the district over the last few years.
This includes work to close the achievement gap between white and Black students.
"If we are going to be successful in closing that achievement gap and making outcomes better for our students of color, then we have to be very intentional about how we, what steps we take in order to do that," he said.
They have made strides in recent years within JCPS.
Data shows the gap between Black and white students' graduation rates is nearly eliminated, with postsecondary rates cut in half.
As many corporations and universities pull back on their diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, we asked Pollio if DEI programs will continue once he leaves.
"So I hope that continues," he said. "But that would be for the next superintendent, board to decide."
As the search for his replacement continues, a legislative task force will continue to study JCPS next year.
The Efficient and Effective School District Governance Task Force was unable to issue recommendations this month as planned for the district.
At this time, there's no plan to break up JCPS, as some have feared.
"So, not a good idea," said Pollio. "I think the task force has realized that and made that clear that that's not possible. So I don't see that happening."