On Friday, Sept. 27, JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio announced his retirement will begin in July of 2025, at the end of his current contract with JCPS. In an interview with Manual RedEye, Pollio opened up about his time in JCPS, as well as his plans and hopes for the future.
Looking back on his tenure
Pollio has served as the JCPS superintendent since 2018, making him one of the top three longest serving superintendents in the Council of Great City Schools. This long tenure, especially for a superintendent in a large urban district, is something that he takes pride in.
“I think the thing I’m most proud of is the absolute resiliency in what I’m doing, and I do it because I love JCPS. I’ve been here for 30 years,” Pollio said.
In addition to the length of his time as superintendent, Pollio celebrates the progress the district has made in the last 8 years.
“I’m very proud of the student assignment plan. I think it was one of the toughest things I had to do,” Pollio said.
Pollio referred to previous JCPS student assignment plans as “probably the most racially inequitable system in the United States of America in public education,” stating that historically, students of color and students in West Louisville have disproportionately been negatively affected.
While Pollio had many successes and accomplishments, he also acknowledges that his time as superintendent was not without error.
“My biggest regret is how the first days of school went in August of ‘23,” Pollio said, referring to the school closures at the beginning of the 23-24 school year due to busing issues.
What to look for between now and July 1
Before Pollio retires, he has several decisions to make and tasks to complete. The November election will determine some of the upcoming agenda for Pollio and the JCPS Board of Education. Four of the seven school board seats are up for election. Additionally, Kentuckians will vote on Amendment 2.
“This is not a school choice amendment. This is a voucher amendment or a voucher bill is what this is. I think it would be the most damaging thing to public education in the Commonwealth of Kentucky in decades,” Pollio said.
Pollio is also committed to leaving his successor with as few immediate tough calls as possible, especially relating to transportation.
“My goal between now and July 1st is to make every difficult decision I possibly can,” he said.
Possible Changes in JCPS
In April of 2024, the Kentucky state legislature commissioned The Efficient and Effective School Governance Task Force to investigate JCPS.
“This is my opinion, I think that this task force thought that they were going to uncover some things that were just, you know, terrible about JCPS,” Pollio said, “My belief is the exact opposite has happened.”
He admitted there will always be room for improvement in an institution as large as JCPS, with over 100,000 students and employees. Pollio believes that the task force does not plan on splitting up the district, an event many residents have feared.
Pollio does foresee other changes in JCPS, such as a wider implementation of Fern Creek High School’s decision to ban phones.
“I do believe it’ll be a district-wide policy. I don’t know if it’ll be this spring that we do it or not, or next year, but I think it’s inevitable that it’s going to happen,” he said.
Pollio referred to this national trend as a “short-term solution” to the larger issue of teaching students proper technology use. Other issues, such as one day reinstating busing for magnet and traditional schools, have a less clear future.
“I think it’s possible in the future but, just to be clear, there’s going to need to be about 650 bus drivers to do that,” Pollio said.
The current nationwide bus driver shortage has led to many issues with JCPS busing, and the decision to cut magnet and traditional busing came as a result of this shortage. As of June, the district was operating with 547 bus drivers, less than the needed amount of 650.
Roles going forward
Unlike members of the school board, the new superintendent will be hired, not elected. At their meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 15, the board announced they will begin the search for the next superintendent.
Pollio will not be involved in the selection process. He will help guide the board with any questions they may have, but does not plan on playing a major role.
“The person that is leaving should not have a role in who the board selects. Actually, the community should be more involved than the leaving Superintendent,” he said.
Pollio emphasizes the importance of a candidate with “thick skin” who has deep roots in the Louisville community..
After Pollio officially retires on July 1, he wants to continue his work in education, working in policy as a “champion for public education”. He will also remain invested in JCPS and its students, but does not plan to publicly comment on any district decisions after his departure.
Although Pollio will make many “tough decisions” before his retirement, the new superintendent will still have many challenges to face in the upcoming years.
“Staffing shortage is one of the two biggest crises in public education nationwide. I think it’s going to have to be addressed or in 10 years, if the trend continues, will be absolutely devastating to public education,” Pollio said.
Pollio has shared his concern for the future of public education, worried it is under attack at the moment. He considers a robust system of public education to be the solution to many social issues.
“I believe the future of our nation is dependent upon public schools. The future of our city, everything that we have issues with, in our community and nationally, I believe the answer is public education,” Pollio said.
The full-length Manual RedEye interview with Dr. Pollio is available on YouTube.
