♪ ♪ >> Kelsey Starks: HELLO, AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE", WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO SOME OF THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

TODAY, WE'RE TALKING BACK TO SCHOOL.

AND IN JEFFERSON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THERE ARE SOME MAJOR CHANGES UNDERWAY THIS YEAR.

FROM A NEW STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN ... TO SWEEPING NEW START TIMES AND BUSSING SCHEDULES... AND AN OVERHAUL OF READING AND MATH CURRICULUM... AND MORE.

JCPS SUPERINTENDENT Dr. MARTY POLLIO SAYS IT'S THE BIGGEST SHIFT IN THE DISTRICT IN NEARLY 50 YEARS.

BUT HE ALSO SAYS HE'S UP FOR THE CHALLENGE...

IN FACT, HE CREATED IT.

Dr. MARTY POLLIO IS ENTERING INTO HIS FIFTH YEAR AS SUPERINTENDENT WITH JCPS.

THAT'S A LONGER TENURE THAN MOST SUPERINTENDENTS, I WILL SAY, BUT THAT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE A JCPS GUY.

I DON'T THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW YOUR TRAJECTORY AS AN EDUCATOR TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW SO TELL US ABOUT THAT.

>> SO ACTUALLY I JOINED THE DISTRICT IN AUGUST OF 1997, TEACHING AT SHAWNEE HIGH SCHOOL.

I WAS THE BASKETBALL COACH AND I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE MY CAREER AND I HAVE SPENT THE PAST 26 YEARS IN JCPS.

IN EVERY SINGLE ROLE THAT YOU CAN IMAGINE WHICH IS, YOU KNOW, TEACHER, BASKETBALL COACH, ATHLETIC DIRECTOR, ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL, PRINCIPAL FOR 8 YEARS AT J-TOWN AND TWO YEARS BEFORE JUMPING THIS POSITION.

I SEE A LONG HISTORY IN THE DISTRICT.

DON'T GO ANYWHERE WITHOUT SEE ONE OF THE THOUSANDS OF KIDS THAT I HAVE INTERACTED WITH THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, OR THE TEACHERS, THE EMPLOYEES SO IT MEANS A LOT TO ME AND THAT'S WHY I'VE STAYED A LOT LONGER AS SUPERINTENDENT THAN MOST AROUND THE NATION BECAUSE I CARE THAT MUCH.

>> Kelsey: SO IN 2020, YOU UNVEILED THIS NEW STRATEGIC PLAN FOR THE DISTRICT VERY AMBITIOUS, FOCUSING ON SIX AREAS: TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY; INTERNET ACCESS EXTENDED LEARNING STUDENT ASSIGNMENT FACILITIES WORKFORCE AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT RESOURCING HIGH POVERTY SCHOOLS LITTLE DID YOU KNOW, RIGHT AFTER THAT ANNOUNCEMENT, COVID HIT.

SO EVERYTHING KIND OF WENT HAYWIRE YOU COULD SAY.

BUT WHERE DO YOU STAND NOW ON THIS FUTURE STATE OF JCPS?

WHERE ARE WE?

>> SO WE REALLY LOOKED AND GOING BACK TO 2019, WE SAID NOTHING CHANGED IN JCPS FOR ABOUT 40 YEARS, THE FOUNDATION.

PROGRAMS HAVE COME AND GONE BUT THE FOUNDATION WAS THE SAME AND REFLECTING FOR ME, WHEN I JOINED THE DISTRICT IN 1997, IT IS PRETTY MUCH OPERATING THE SAME WAY AND THAT'S NOT GOOD FOR ANY ORGANIZATION.

SO WE IDENTIFIED THOSE SIX AREAS.

AND UNFORTUNATELY, WENT AS YOU SAID INTO COVID WHICH SLOWED US DOWN A BIT, BUT WE WERE COMMITTED TO DEAL WITH THE COVID BUT AS WE GET PAST THAT, LET'S MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE IMPLEMENTED.

SO WE HAVE ESSENTIALLY PASSED THROUGH OUR SCHOOL BOARD, OUR SCHOOL BOARD HAS BEEN ON BOARD WITH US SO TO SPEAK.

BUT WE'VE PASSED EACH ONE OF THESE, AND NOW WE'RE IN THE EXECUTION AND IMPLEMENTATION PHASE.

SO AS WE COME INTO THIS FALL, MOST OF IT IS IN THE INITIAL EXECUTION.

SO NEW START TIMES, FOR KIDS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE IMPROVE ATTENDANCE, NEW STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN IS GOING ON RIGHT NOW.

NEW FACILITIES PLAN.

I MEAN, I CAN GO ON AND ON ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS SUMMER HAS BEEN FOR US TO PREPARE FOR WHAT IS AHEAD BUT JUST THE MASSIVE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE PASSED THEM.

THEY ARE ALL, RIGHT NOW, MOVING INTO THAT EXECUTION PHASE WHICH MEANS, GOT A LOT OF WORK AHEAD TO MAKE SURE IT IS SUCCESSFUL.

>> Kelsey: AND YOU SAY THIS WILL BE THE BIGGEST SHIFT IN JCPS SINCE 1975.

>> CORRECT.

>> Kelsey: WHEN THE BUSSING WAS FEDERALLY MANDATED.

EXPLAIN, I GUESS, WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE DISTRICT, WHY SO MANY CHANGES AT ONCE, AND, WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL COME OUT OF IT?

>> SOME OF THE CHANGES ARE NEEDED JUST OUT OF URGENCY.

AND SO I'LL GIVE AN EXAMPLE.

ONE OF THE ONES THAT WE FOCUSED ON IS INCREASING STUDENT LEARNING TIME.

SO, RIGHT NOW, THIS SUMMER WE HAVE BEEN IN OUR BACKPACK LEAGUE WHICH IS GETTING KIDS INTO SUMMER LEARNING.

BUT WE HAVE HAD A GOAL FOR A LONG TIME WHICH IS WE HAVE TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE FOR KIDS.

KIDS NEED TO IN SCHOOL TO LEARN.

THAT'S A SIMPLE FORMULA.

AND SO WE'RE LOOKING AT WAYS TO IMPROVE ATTENDANCE.

RESEARCH IS CLEAR THAT MOVING START TIMES BACK AN HOUR FOR ADOLESCENTS IMPROVES STUDENT ATTENDANCE.

I MEAN, STATES LIKE CALIFORNIA AND EVEN FLORIDA ARE PASSING LAWS THAT SAY, MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL CAN'T START BEFORE 8:00 A.M. OR 8:30 A.M.

EVEN.

AND SO, WE'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO THAT, BUT CHANGING START TIMES ALSO IS A NECESSITY BECAUSE OUR SHORTAGE OF BUS DRIVERS.

AND SO RIGHT NOW, AT THE END OF LAST SCHOOL YEAR, WE HAD ABOUT 725 BUS ROUTES BUT ONLY 650 BUS DRIVERS, SO WE WERE SHORT 75 DRIVERS EVERY SINGLE DAY.

WHICH MEANT WE HAD TO DOUBLE AND TRIPLE OUR RUNS, AND IT MEANT STUDENTS WERE COMING LATE TO SCHOOL.

SO THE NECESSITY WAS WE HAVE TO CHANGE START TIMES AND INCREASE THE START TIMES, AND WE'VE REDUCED OUR ROUTS TO 600 BUS ROUTES.

SO NOW WE HAVE THE BUS DRIVERS.

AT THE SAME TIME WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT MOVED BACK THAT START TIME FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

AND SO, THAT WAS A NECESSITY.

AND SO ON TOP OF THAT, WE A YEAR AGO, JUNE 1, 2022, WE PASSED THE NEW STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN AND I WOULD LIKE TO SAY WE COULD WAIT LONGER TO DO ALL OF THESE THINGS, WHERE IT IS NOT AT THE SAME TIME.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT IS RIGHT FOR KIDS.

AND ETHICALLY WE HAD TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS RIGHT FOR THE STUDENTS JCPS.

WE HAVE BEEN LIVING IN THIS CURRENT STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN THAT WE ARE NOW TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM FOR 40 YEARS.

AND I THINK THAT REALLY IT IS ONE OF THE MOST RACIALLY INEQUITABLE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE IN THIS COMMUNITY FOR -- OR IN ANY COMMUNITY FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, AND SO IT WAS JUST A NECESSITY TO MAKE THESE MASSIVE CHANGES AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN.

WE HAVE TO DO IT SO WE CAN EXECUTES PROPERLY.

BUT IT IS WHAT'S RIGHT FOR KIDS.

>> Kelsey: SO, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN.

THIS IS WHERE THE STUDENTS IN THE CHOICE ZONE ARE ABLE TO CHOOSE WHETHER TO GO TO THEIR HOME NEIGHBORHOOD SCHOOL OR TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL.

AND YOU JUST HAD SOME NEW NUMBERS RELEASED.

>> YES.

>> Kelsey: IT SHOWED THE MAJORITY OF ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS CHOSE TO STAY IN THEIR AREA.

HIGH SCHOOLS.

MORE WE WANT TO A DIFFERENT SCHOOL OUTSIDE OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD.

WAS THE RESULTS OF THAT WHAT YOU EXPECTED OR DIFFERENT?

>> I WOULD SAY, ACTUALLY, WE -- THE NUMBERS SHOWED WHAT WE HAD BEEN HEARING FOR MANY, MANY YEARS, WHICH IS, WEST LOUISVILLE FAMILIES WANTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO STAY CLOSE TO HOME.

AND SO, NEARLY 80% OF ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND MIDDLE SCHOOL FAMILIES IN THE CHOICE ZONE WHICH IS PREDOMINANTLY WEST LOUISVILLE, CHOSE A SCHOOL CLOSE TO HOME.

AND WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT WHEN THEY WERE CHOOSING HAD -- WE DID NOT HAVE A BUILDING OR A NAME FOR THE SCHOOL YET.

AND SO IT WAS CLEAR, FAMILIES HAD TOLD US, WE HAD STUDENTS IN WEST LOUISVILLE THAT LIVED IN THE WEST END AND WOULD HAVE THE ONLY OPTION TO GO TO SCHOOL WOULD BE A SCHOOL LIKE RAMSEY MIDDLE SCHOOL, WHICH IS NEAR THE SPENCER COUNTY LINE AT BILLTOWN ROAD AND GENE SNYDER.

FAMILIES WOULD SAY, HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO PARTICIPATE IN SCHOOL?

WE STILL WANT TO GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.

THAT'S IMPORTANT.

YOU STILL CAN MAKE THAT CHOICE, BUT YOU CAN ALSO MAKE THE CHOICE TO STAY CLOSE TO HOME.

AND SO WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS, FUNDAMENTALLY WE HAVE TO SAY THAT FOR 40 YEARS, WE CELEBRATED DIVERSITY IN OUR SCHOOLS AS A COMMUNITY, BUT IT REALLY HAS BEEN THE BURDEN OF STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN WEST LOUISVILLE.

SO, FOR INSTANCE, I LIVE IN THE HIGHLANDS AND COULD TAKE MY DAUGHTER TO ATHERTON HIGH SCHOOL, THIS IS OUR PROOF.

THE SAME HOUSE ON 41ST AND MARKET, THEY CAN SEE SHAWNEE HS ACROSS THE STREET.

IF THEY WENT IN AS OF LAST YEAR AND SAID, I WOULD LIKE TO ENROLL MY CHILD, YOUR SCHOOL IS PLEASURE RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU NEED TO ENROLL THERE.

SO IT IS JUST IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE OPTIONS.

BUT GIVING GOOD OPTIONS, AND THAT GETS INTO MAKING SURE THAT WE RESOURCE THE SCHOOLS PROPERLY.

>> Kelsey: AND THAT'S ANOTHER BIG CHANGE THAT YOU'RE DOING IS PUTTING ADDITIONAL RESOURCES INTO THOSE CHOICE ZONE SCHOOLS.

TELL US HOW YOU'RE DOING THAT.

>> SO THIS MULTITUDE OF TIMES.

THIS IS A FUNDAMENTAL BELIEF, STUDENTS WHO HAVE THE LEAST OF RESOURCES IN THEIR HOME NEED TO HAVE THE MOST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

EVERY TIME I SAY THAT PUBLICLY AND I SPEAK SOMEWHERE, EVERYONE SHAKE THEIR HEAD THAT YES, THAT'S THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.

UNFORTUNATELY ACROSS THE NATION IN EDUCATION, THAT'S NOT BEEN A REALITY.

ALMOST ANYWHERE.

UNFORTUNATELY WHAT IT IS, IS STUDENTS WHO HAVE THE MOST A OF RESOURCES ARE GETTING THE MOST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

SO WE HAVE MADE A COMMITMENT THAT YES, IF STUDENTS ARE GOING TO CHOOSE A SCHOOL CLOSE TO HOME - AND IT IS GOING TO BE A CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, THERE IS NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

WE HAVE TO ADMIT IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE ARE VERY SEGREGATED HOUSING COMMUNITY BY RACE AND SOCIOECONOMICS.

SO IF FAMILIES IN WEST LOUISVILLE CHOOSE TO STAY CLOSE TO HOME, WE HAVE TO KNOW THERE WILL BE CHALLENGES OF POVERTY.

AND, THEREFORE, WE HAVE TO PUT THE MOST AMOUNT OF RESOURCES IN OUR SCHOOLS IN THE CHOICE ZONE.

SO FIRST AND FOREMOST IS MAKING SURE WE GET THE BEST TEACHERS AND LEADERS IN OUR SCHOOLS.

MEANING PAY OUR TEACHER MORSE TO BE IN SCHOOLS OF HIGH NEED.

SO TEACHERS STARTING NEXT YEAR WILL GET AN $8,000 STIPEND OR FOR WORKING IN THE CHOICE ZONE AND PRINCIPALS A 10,000 BONUS.

ALREADY MAKING A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR PEOPLE SAYING THAT I WOULD KNOW THAT I'LL GET COMPENSATED THAT I'LL GET COMPENSATED MORE AND MAKING SURE THAT TEACHERS HAVE EVERY THAT THEY NEED, STUDENTS HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED.

AND WE'RE MAKING SURE THAT MY PHILOSOPHY ON THIS IS, IF YOU'RE TEACHING IN A SCHOOL IN THE CHOICE ZONE, YOU SHOULD WANT FOR NOTHING.

IF YOU FEEL THAT IT IS NEEDED FOR STUDENTS, WE'RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THAT.

AND SO, THAT COMES FROM TECHNOLOGY, THAT COMES WITH ADDITIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, THAT COMES FROM SUPPLIES FOR STUDENTS, WHATEVER THAT MAY BE, WE'RE GOING TO PROVIDE IT, AND MORE PERSONNEL INSIDE THE SCHOOL.

SO SMALLER CLASS SIZES ARE A BIG PART OF THAT AS WELL.

BUT WHAT WE WANT, I TRULY WANT THIS, IS A STRUGGLE WITH FAMILIES AND CHOICE ZONE AND WEST LOUISVILLE TO SAY, I HAVE TWO GREAT OPTIONS AT A MINIMUM, STILL CAN CHOOSE MAGNETS, BUT, DO I WANT TO STAY CLOSE TO HOME?

BECAUSE IT IS A GREAT OPTION, OR DO I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE COMMUNITY, BECAUSE THAT'S A GREAT OPTION AS WELL.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED EVER IN THIS COMMUNITY.

♪ ♪ >> Kelsey: THERE ARE SOME LOFTY GOALS FOR JCPS THIS YEAR.

THAT WE TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THOSE.

ANOTHER AMBITIOUS GOAL IS TO BUILD MORE THAN 20 NEW SCHOOLS OVER THE NEXT TEN YEARS.

PEOPLE HEAR THAT AND THEY THINK HOW ARE WE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT?

SO WHAT IS YOUR PLAN FOR FUNDING ALL OF THESE AMBITIOUS GOALS?

>> WELL, WHEN I WAS ROLLING OUT THIS PLAN IN FEBRUARY OF 2020 AT THE STATE OF THE DISTRICT, I FELT GOOD ABOUT ASKING THE COMMUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL FUNDING THROUGH INCREASED PROPERTY TAX.

AND THAT HAS BEEN VERY CONTROVERSIAL.

WE WENT INTO COVID AND I DIDN'T THINK THAT WE'D BE ABLE TO DO IT BUT, YOU KNOW, MY JOB IS TO DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THE KIDS OF JCPS AND I HAVE BEEN COMMITTED TO DOING THAT.

AND SO, WE WENT FORWARD WITH THAT BECAUSE REALLY WHAT WE HAVE TO DO, IF WE'RE GOING TO CHANGE WHAT WE WANT IN JCPS, FOR BETTER OUTCOMES FOR KIDS AND IMPLEMENT THIS FUTURE STATE, WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO FUND IT.

A BIG PART OF THAT IS FACILITIES.

WE HAVE, I'LL SAY THIS, I THINK THAT IN THE PAST 50 YEARS, OUR FACILITIES ARE EMBARRASSING FOR OUR COMMUNITY.

GO TO ANY OTHER CITY, ANY OTHER DISTRICT, AND RIGHT UP THE ROAD TO FAYETTE COUNTY AND COMPARE THEIR SCHOOLS TO OUR SCHOOLS.

AND SO THE ONLY WAY THAT YOU DO THAT IS TO INCREASE BONDING CAPACITY.

VERY SIMILAR TO YOUR ABILITY TO BORROW MONEY FOR A MORTGAGE OR A HOUSE.

WE DO THE SAME THING IN EDUCATION FOR BUILDING SCHOOLS.

WE HAD TO INCREASE OUR ABILITY TO DO THAT.

AND SO, WITH THE INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX, WE NEARLY DOUBLED OUR BONDING CAPACITY, WHICH MEANS THAT WE CAN BUILD 20 SCHOOLS IN NEXT TEN YEARS.

IN COMPARISON, WE BUILT FOUR SCHOOLS UNTIL LAST YEAR WHEN WE'RE NOW OPENING UP NEW SCHOOLS, FOUR SCHOOLS THIS ENTIRE CENTURY SINCE 2020.

AND SO, THAT IS WHY WE HAVE FACILITIES THAT ARE NOT GOOD FOR KIDS, AND IT IS IMPORTANT THAT WE DO THAT BECAUSE KIDS KNOW WHEN THEY WALK IN A SCHOOL BUILDING HOW MUCH THE COMMUNITY CARES ABOUT THEM.

AND SO, I JUST HAVE BEEN VERY COMMITTED TO THIS, AND VERY PROUD OF THE WORK.

IT HAS BEEN TOUGH BECAUSE WE'RE ASKING THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE THEIR AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY PROVIDE TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THROUGH PROPERTY TAX.

I UNDERSTAND THAT COMPLETELY.

BUT I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF THIS COMMUNITY THAT WE DO THAT.

>> Kelsey: AND ANOTHER THING THAT'S NEW THIS YEAR, ARE THE AI-POWERED WEAPONS DETECTORS IN HIGH SCHOOL.

ANOTHER CONTROVERSIAL IMPLEMENTATION THAT YOU DID.

WHY DO YOU THINK THAT'S A PRIORITY RIGHT NOW?

>> WELL, THAT WAS A PRIORITY FROM OUR BOARD.

I HAVE BEEN VERY CONFLICTED AROUND THIS ISSUE.

CLEARLY, WE DO NOT WANT WEAPONS IN SCHOOLS.

WE UNFORTUNATELY HAVE TO DEAL WITH PROBLEMS IN OUR SOCIETY, ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS THAT I SEE ARE ACCESS TO WEAPONS FOR KIDS.

AND SO I THIS THAT I WE CAN ALL AGREE, 100% WE SHOULD ALL AGREE, THAT CHILDREN SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCESS TO HANDGUNS.

I MEAN, I JUST DON'T THINK THAT THERE IS ANYONE WHO WOULD DISAGREE WITH THAT.

PUTTING THEM IN THEIR BACKPACK AND GOING TO SCHOOL.

MOST STUDENTS ARE DOING IT BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SAFE WALKING TO AND FROM SCHOOL.

BUT THERE ARE MAJOR CHALLENGES OF IMPLEMENTATION WHEN IT COMES TO METAL DETECTORS.

SO, YOU KNOW, STAFFING, GETTING KIDS IN SCHOOL, THE AMOUNT OF TIME THAT HAPPENS.

FORTUNATELY, THERE ARE SOME NEW TECHNOLOGIES AROUND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE THAT IS STARTING TO BE USED ACROSS THE NATION WHERE WE CAN MOVE KIDS THROUGH THESE WEAPONS DETECTION, SIMILAR TO LIKE WHEN YOU WALK INTO A WAL-MART OR A TARGET, AND IT IS THE SENSORS GO OFF IF SOMEONE IS LEAVING AND HAS NOT PAID FOR SOMETHING.

IT IS THE SAME TYPE OF TECHNOLOGY SO WE CAN WALK KIDS IN MUCH FASTER, AND IT WILL DETECT GUNS, THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES.

IT DOESN'T DETECT EVERYTHING.

IT IS DESIGNED TO LOOK FOR GUNS AND HANDGUNS, AND THAT'S WHAT WE WILL BE LOOKING TO DO.

NOW, IT WILL BE A LONGER IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS.

IT WON'T BE JUST DAY ONE.

BECAUSE WE HAVE NEARLY 50 MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, SO IT IS GOING THE TAKE TIME OVER THE NEXT 12 MONTHS TO GET THIS FULLY IMPLEMENTED.

>> Kelsey: AND LET'S TALK ABOUT TEACHERS.

WE TALKED ABOUT TEACHERS, BUS DRIVERS, BUS DRIVERS.

SUPERINTENDENTS.

ABOUT 500 OF THE DISTRICT'S EDUCATORS THIS PAST YEAR HAVE RESIGNED OR RETIRED.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO KEEP THE TEACHERS YOU HAVE AND RECRUIT NEW ONES?

>> YES, SO, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO SAY, IT IS ONE OF -- I WOULD FLAG THIS AS ONE OF "THE" MOST CRITICAL ISSUES IN OUR NATION MOVING FORWARD.

AND I'M IN THE JUST SAYING IN EDUCATION, IN OUR NATION.

THE AMOUNT OF YOUNG PEOPLE GOING PROGRAMS AT POST-SECONDARY POST-SECONDARY INSTITUTIONS IS DROPPING OFF A CLIFF.

AND SO WE HAVE PEOPLE RETIRING, AND LEAVING THE PROFESSION, AND WE HAVE HALF OF THE AMOUNT OF PEOPLE COMING INTO THE PROFESSION.

AND SO WE'RE REALLY DANCING AROUND THE EDGE, I BELIEVE AND TALKING ABOUT DIFFERENT WAYS FOR CERTIFICATION.

THAT ALTERNATIVES, THAT'S WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT IN THE LEGISLATURE.

AND I THINK THAT IS, THOSE ARE GOOD THINGS.

HOWEVER, YOU KNOW, I WILL SAY THIS, TEACHING HAS BECOME VERY CHALLENGING ACROSS THE NATION BECAUSE WE'RE EXPECTING THEM TO DO MORE THAN THEY HAVE EVER HAD TO DO TO NOT ONLY TEACH CONTENT AND CURRICULUM BUT ALSO MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS.

AND JUST IN OUR COMMUNITY ALONE.

WHEN I BECAME A PRINCIPAL IN 2007, THE DISTRICT WAS 55% FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH WHICH IS THE MARK OF POVERTY FOR STUDENTS.

TODAY IT IS 70%.

SO IT IS 15,000 MORE KIDS LIVING IN POVERTY IN JEFFERSON COUNTY THAN JUST DID 15 YEARS AGO.

AND WE HAVE TO LOOK AT THAT AND SAY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT TEACHERS HAVE TO DEAL WITH.

ALL THE THINGS THAT COME WITH IT IS SOMETHING THAT TEACHERS HAD TO DEAL.

MEANWHILE, PAY HAS REALLY REMAINED STAGNANT, AND EVEN DROPPED IF WE LOOK AT INFLATION.

SO WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO EXAMINE THAT AND HOW WE COMPENSATE TEACHERS.

AND I JUST BELIEVE THAT THE STATES AND THE DISTRICTS THAT SAY OUR TEACHERS ARE GOING TO BE PAID THE BEST IN THE NATION OR IN THE STATE, ARE GOING TO BE THE ONES THAT GET THE TEACHERS.

WE HAVE FLATTENED ON WHAT WE HAD LAST YEAR WAS THE LARGEST AMOUNT OF TEACHERS THAT EITHER RESIGNED OR RETIRED.

THAT HAS COME BACK DOWN AGAIN WHICH IS GOOD NEWS SO THAT LOOKS POSITIVE AS A TREND.

BUT THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT TEN YEARS FROM NOW, IT'S A REALLY OMINOUS SCENARIO FOR SCHOOLS ACROSS THE NATION UNLESS WE DEAL WITH THIS TEACHER SHORTAGE.

>> Kelsey: LIKE YOU SAID, IT IS A CHALLENGING TIME TO BE A TEACHER.

NOT ONLY ARE YOU UNDER FIRE FROM SOMETIMES THE LEGISLATURE, AND FROM PARENTS, YOU'RE DEALING WITH WEAPONS IN SCHOOLS LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT, AND THE DISCIPLINE SIDE OF THINGS IS ANOTHER THING WHEN I I TALK TO TEACHER, IT IS JUST SO CHALLENGING.

YOU SEE VIDEOS OF TEACHERS GETTING BEAT UP BY STUDENTS.

WHAT CAN YOU OR WE DO TO CHANGE THAT NARRATIVE?

OR KEEP THAT FROM HAPPENING.

WHAT'S HAPPENING DISCIPLINE-WISE.

>> WELL, I MEAN, IT IS PROBABLY THE SINGLE BIGGEST CHALLENGE THAT WE FACE.

WELL, I HAVE SAID THAT MULTIPLE TIMES NOW TODAY, BUT THE INKLE IS BIGGEST CHALLENGE IN EDUCATION IS MEETING THE NEEDS OF KIDS.

LET'S BE CLEAR: ESPECIALLY WHEN WE TALK ABOUT KIDS WHEN THERE ARE BEHAVIOR ISSUE, USUALLY -- NOT ALWAYS BUT MOST OF THE TIME THERE IS A REASON THAT IS HAPPENING -- AN UNMET NEED WHETHER THAT BE TRAUMA OR MENTAL HEALTH OR NOT GETTING HOMELESSNESS, IT COULD BE FOOD INSECURITY.

I MEAN THERE IS A MULTITUDE OF THINGS THAT CAUSE THIS.

AND SO WE'RE CAUGHT BETWEEN AS A DISTRICT RIGHT NOW AND MOST DISTRICTS ARE.

THE GOOD NEWS IS I HAVE COLLEAGUES ALL OVER THE NATION, WE'RE STRUGGLING WITH THE SAME CHALLENGES.

WHICH IS, HOW WE MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS AND SUPPORT KIDS, BUT ALSO HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR BEHAVIOR IN CLASSROOM.

AND SO WE'RE CAUGHT BETWEEN THIS WHICH WE HAVE MANDATES FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE STATE GOVERNMENT, KENTUCKY DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THAT WE'RE SUSPENDING TOO MANY KIDS, WE'RE TOO HARD DISCIPLINE-WISE ON OUR STUDENTS, TO THE POINT WHERE, FUNDING CAN BE HELD BACK, OR, THERE CAN BE INVESTIGATIONS INTO DISPROPORTIONALITY MEANING WE SUSPEND BLACK STUDENTS MORE THAN WHITE STUDENTS, WHILE AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE COMMUNITIES SAYING THAT WE WANT HIGH EXPECTATIONS FOR STUDENTS AND THE CHALLENGE IS A WHAT DO YOU DO?

HOW DO YOU SUPPORT KIDS, YOU KNOW.

THE ANSWER IS, IF WE JUST SAY YOU'RE KICKED OUT OF SCHOOL, WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO THAT STUDENT?

WHAT ARE THEY GOING TO BE DOING ON THE STREETS IN THE COMMUNITY, IF THEY ARE NOT IN SCHOOLS?

AND SO, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO SOLVE THIS IF WE WANT SAFER COMMUNITIES, WE'LL HAVE TO ALL COME TOGETHER AND SAY, HOW ARE WE GOING TO MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS.

SO YES, DISCIPLINE AND PUNISHMENT IS ONE PART OF IT.

BUT IF IT IS GOING TO BE LONG-TERM CHANGE, WE'RE REALLY GOING TO HAVE TO FIGURE OUT TO MEET THE NEEDS OF KIDS WHICH MEANS REDUCING CHILDHOOD POVERTY.

WHICH MEANS, HELPING STUDENTS WITH MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS AND ISSUES.

WHICH MEANS SOLVING HOMELESSNESS.

WE HAVE 6,000 HOMELESS STUDENTS IN JCPS.

WHICH MEANS SOLVING FOOD INSECURITY.

ALL OF THESE THINGS ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE GOT TO DO IF WE WANT TO IMPROVE OUTCOMES AND BEHAVIORS OF STUDENT, THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO DO THAT ARE MUCH HARDER THAN JUST SAYING, LET'S PUNISH KIDS.

>> Kelsey: THAT'S A COMMUNITY-WIDE ISSUE, BUT IT DOES FALL IN THE LAP OF JCPS A LOT OF TIMES.

>> UNFORTUNATELY, YES.

>> Kelsey: SO, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.

THERE WAS AN ATTEMPT IN THIS YEAR'S LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO BREAK UP THE DISTRICT INTO TWO, MAYBE EVEN THREE SMALLER DISTRICTS.

I KNOW THAT YOU STEPPED UP AGAINST THAT, BUT IT IS NOT OFF THE TABLE, AND DO YOU THINK IT IS A POSSIBILITY?

>> SURE.

I MEAN, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT JCPS CONTINUES TO BE FRONT AND CENTER IN THE LEGISLATURE ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE IN JCPS.

I MADE IT CLEAR FIRST AND FOREMOST, WE'RE MAKING THE CHANGE.

I JUST TALKED ABOUT THESE MASSIVE CHANGES, AND WE'RE MAKING THE CHANGES THAT ARE NEEDED IN JCPS.

BUT I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH ABOUT HOW DEVASTATING TO A COMMUNITY THAT I THINK THAT IT WOULD BE TO DIVIDE THIS DISTRICT UP INTO MULTIPLE DISTRICTS.

AND I WOULD CHALLENGE ANYONE TO TAKE THE MAP JEFFERSON AND DIVIDE IT UP AND DIVIDE THIS DISTRICT THIS COMMUNITY, AND THIS COUNTY UP INTO MULTIPLE DISTRICTS WHERE YOU WOULDN'T HAVE ONE DISTRICT THAT IS EXTREMELY LOW POVERTY, DESTITUTE , PROBABLY A DISTRICT THAT WOULD BE IN THE MIDDLE, AND ONE THAT WOULD VERY WELL TO DO.

AND SO WHAT WE WOULD END UP BEING WOULD BE, A ONE DISTRICT WHERE TEACHERS ARE PAID MORE.

THE BUILDINGS AND FACILITIES ARE FANTASTIC.

KIDS HAVE EVERYTHING THAT THEY NEED.

AND ANOTHER DISTRICT THAT WE WOULD HAVE THE LOWEST PAID TEACHERS IN THE STATE AND SO ON.

BECAUSE DISTRICTS ARE FUNDED BY THE PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS.

AND SO YOU CAN'T LOOK AT THIS COMMUNITY, IN ANY WAY UNFORTUNATELY AND SAY, THAT'S A REALITY WHERE ONE SIDE WOULD BE VERY WELL TO DO AND ONE SIDE WOULD BE HIGH POVERTY.

AND SO, I BELIEVE THIS.

I HAVE SAID THIS.

IT IS CONTROVERSIAL.

BUT, I BELIEVE THAT IT WOULD AKIN TO EDUCATIONAL RED LINING WHICH MEANS, OUR KIDS IN THIS COMMUNITY OF HIGH POVERTY WOULD NOT GET WHAT THEY NEED, SO THAT IS NOT THE ANSWER.

THAT'S NOT THE ANSWER.

THE ANSWER IS THE FUTURE STATE AND IMPLEMENTING THESE CHANGES EFFECTIVELY, THAT WOULD MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR KIDS.

>> Kelsey: TEN YEARS FROM NOW, WHETHER YOU ARE STILL SUPERINTENDENT OR NOT, WHAT DO YOU HOPE JCPS LOOKS LIKE?

>> YES, SO, I MEAN, FIRST AND FOREMOST, I WANT TO BE PROUD OF THE CHANGES THAT WE HAVE MADE.

I BELIEVE THIS.

LET ME SAY THIS: WE'RE IN THE SIX YEARS OF, SIXTH YEAR OF ACADEMY OF LOUISVILLE WHICH IS OUR HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS, THAT GET KIDS INTO PATHWAYS THAT PREPARE THEM FOR POST-SECONDARY READINESS.

AFTER SIX YEARS OF IMPLEMENTATION, WE'RE SEEING INCREDIBLE RESULTS.

SO 76% OF THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2023 ARE LEAVING US POST-SECONDARY READY.

JUST THREE OR FOUR YEARS AGO THAT WAS 50%.

SO, I MEAN, THAT IS 2,000 MORE KIDS THAT ARE POST-SECONDARY READY.

MEANING, GOING ACROSS THE STAGE, WITH A DIPLOMA AND COLLEGE CREDIT HOURS.

THE ACT SCORES TO BE PREPARED FOR COLLEGE OR A CERTIFICATION TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THE WORK WORLD.

THAT HAS TAKEN SIX YEARS TO DO THAT.

AND SO WHEN I SAY A FUTURE STATE, THESE THINGS, YES, WE'RE EXECUTING THEM NOW.

BUT IT MAY BE FIVE TO TEN YEARS BEFORE WE SEE THE FULL OUTCOMES THAT WE WANT.

AND THE PROBLEM IN EDUCATION, WE SAY LET'S TRY SOMETHING.

WE DON'T GET THE RESULTS THAT WE WANT IN ONE YEAR AND SAY, ALL RIGHT, SCRAP THAT LET'S TRY SOMETHING ELSE.

THIS IS WHAT IS GOING TO WORK.

WE NEED TO GIVE IT THE TIME TO BE SUCCESSFUL.

LET THE ROOTS TAKE HOLD, AND IN TEN YEARS, I BELIEVE THIS.

WE'LL SEE BETTER FACILITIES, WE'LL SEE HIGHLY TRAINED TEACHERS IN CLASSROOMS PAID WELL.

WE WILL SEE OUR STUDENT ASSIGNMENT PLAN THAT'S FLOURISHING, WE WILL SEE A NEW LITERACY PLAN THAT ALL STUDENTS ARE RECEIVING A HIGH-QUALITY RIGOROUS CURRICULUM ESPECIALLY IN EARLY LITERACY.

AND WE'LL SEE OUTCOMES THAT WE HAVE NEVER SEEN IN JCPS BEFORE.

♪ ♪ >> Kelsey: WANT TO FIND OUT MORE?

CHECK OUT OUR EXTENDED INTERVIEW WITH DR. POLLIO.

IT IS ONLINE AT: WWW.KET.ORG/INSIDELOUISVILLE FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @KETINLOU WHERE YOU CAN FOLLOW ALONG BEHIND THE SCENES ON OUR INTERVIEWS AND SEE SOME THROW BACK, BACK TO SCHOOL PICTURES THERE.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US FOR YOUR LOOK INSIDE LOUISVILLE.

UNTIL NEXT TIME, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK!

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