Amidst JCPS’ extreme budget issues — most notably running a $188 million deficit — Superintendent Brian Yearwood announced a plan to reduce the district’s 2026-27 budget by $132 million, proposing multiple different changes, including closing or consolidating certain schools.
On Nov. 20, JCPS released their official proposal: closing Liberty High School and Zachary Taylor Elementary School, relocating Waller-Williams Environmental School to “an existing facility,” consolidating King Elementary School and Maupin Elementary school at Maupin’s building and moving the Georgia Chaffee Teenage Parent Program (TAPP) to the Gheens Early Childhood Center at Louisville Male High School.
Each proposed change cites existing issues at its respective school, including high operation cost, condition index and enrollment. These factors were measured in the district’s Facility Profile Index (FPI) annual report, released on Monday, Nov. 24.
The report included the full list of schools that were classified in “FPI Critical Categories,” and therefore considered for closures or consolidations. The list contains 23 schools, leaving 15 after excluding the five with proposed changes and three schools not ranked due to inconsistent data.
The list was ranked by each school’s FPI and sorted from lowest (Western High School, 0.6218) to highest (Breckinridge Metropolitan High School, 0.8873). The numbers were determined based on a combination of aforementioned factors.
Among the 13 other schools on the list were Louisville Male High School, Newburg Middle School and Coleridge-Taylor Montessori Elementary.
Carolyn Callahan, JCPS chief of communications and community relations, confirmed that “Dr. Yearwood will not be making any additional school closure recommendations for the 2026-27 school year,” despite district officials previously warning the possibility of additional changes to other schools on the list.
“If the Jefferson County Board of Education passes the proposal, all King students will go to Maupin, all Zachary Taylor students will go to schools in the Ballard High zone, and all Liberty students will go to their resides schools. Families also have the ability to apply for magnet or other programs,” Callahan said.
Though future for staff at each school remains unclear, JCPS’ Frequently Asked Questions page has confirmed that displaced, or “overstaffed,” employees will have the opportunity to apply for open positions within the district. The website also notes that these employees typically receive priority in the transfer process and that seniority will be a considered factor. However, new jobs are not guaranteed for any displaced staff members, if the proposal is passed.
Board members will vote on the proposal, along with several others, at the upcoming Dec. 9 board meeting.
