The Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) district is gearing up for significant changes as Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood prepares to present a series of recommendations to the Jefferson County Board of Education. In a statement made by spokesperson Carolyn Callahan, it was confirmed that one of the major proposals to be discussed is adjusting school start times across the district, moving them 20 minutes earlier for the upcoming 2026-27 school year.
Currently, JCPS operates with three different start times for its schools: 7:30 a.m., 8:40 a.m., and 9:40 a.m. The new proposal aims to standardize these times to 7:10 a.m., 8:20 a.m., and 9:20 a.m., a change that Yearwood has indicated is crucial based on feedback received from principals and staff. This discussion surrounding start time adjustments is set to be a key topic at the upcoming meeting on December 9.
This proposal comes on the heels of another significant development within the district, as JCPS has also announced plans to close, consolidate, and relocate several schools. This initiative is part of a broader strategy to achieve cost savings of over $100 million. The specifics of which schools will be affected are still under discussion, but this plan, much like the adjustment of school start times, is scheduled to be reviewed by the school board during the same meeting on December 9.
As the district faces these dramatic changes, educators, parents, and community members are closely watching how these decisions will impact students and the overall structure of JCPS moving forward.
