JCPS BOE provides update on School Choice Plan for the 2023-2024 school year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - Last June, the JCPS School Board approved the School Choice Plan.

At Tuesday night’s meeting, the board got filled in on how things are looking for the upcoming school year.

“We know this is a heavy lift,” Amanda Averette-Bush with Choice Zone said. “This is definitely not easy work, and it is going to take all of us to travel this journey together.”

The school choice plan allows kids primarily from the west end to choose where they want to go to school.

It’s a choice that they haven’t always had.

“When you think about the choice zone and Shawnee,” Kym Rice, the principal at the Academy at Shawnee said. “We had to make sure that when our parents and our students and our families make the choice, that it is going to be a great choice.”

Incoming kindergarteners, 6th graders, and 9th graders inside the choice zone have to decide if they want to go to a school inside or outside the zone.

As of last January 12, 91% of students have made a choice.

“We are actively still working with schools, reaching out to families, sending notifications,” Averette-Bush said. “If a family’s address changes, we’ll need to complete a new application for them as well.”

A new middle school for choice zone 6th graders will be opening in August.

Dr. Jeronda Majors will be the principal.

“The young people that we serve in our community, and our families understand and want to go to a school that is close to home,” said Majors.

A 12 million dollar investment will go towards schools in the choice zone each year for the next 10 years.

“I will be monitoring the funding to assure that the funding is aligned with school needs,” said Jamiera Johnson, the Choice Zone Director.

It’s not only the students that will see change. Teachers at choice zone schools will get an $8,000 dollar raise.

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