Yesterday in Frankfurt, the Senate passed two priority bills, one of which would take away operational power from the Jefferson County School Board and give it to the superintendent.

Our Emily Sisk explains the debate over Senate Bill one.

Senate Bill one would take away day to day operational power from the Jefferson County Public School Board and give that power to its superintendent.

The Kentucky General Assembly passed a similar measure back in 2022, but the state Supreme Court ruled late last year that legislation was unconstitutional, unfairly targeting one school district.

But as this year's bill sponsor, Senator David Gibbons, said, that ruling didn't mean a similar bill was out of the picture.

And that finding that the Supreme Court found in December of 2025, they provided not just a roadmap, but they gave us GPS coordinates of how to fix the question of constitutionality.

In summary, if we gave more reasons for needing to treat this district differently, there will be no question on the constitutionality.

Gibbons pointed out that JCPs educates 15% of all Kentucky public school students, and the district receives 8% of the total money allocated to K through 12.

Education.

Republican lawmakers noted the historically poor academic performance of the district and explained the exact roles of the superintendent and school board.

Under Senate Bill one.

41 of our 55 KCI schools are located in JCPs.

Now, that would not be a problem in general, but it is held steady over time.

That is not a new phenomenon.

It's year after year after year.

We're defining that the board should be in charge of strategic planning.

Budget approval, audit reviews, hiring, reviewing and firing.

The superintendent and the superintendent should be in charge of day to day operations.

Louisville Democrat Senator Gerald Neill admitted concerns with persistent issues within JCPs, but expressed confidence in new Superintendent Brian Yearwood to turn things around.

Newell said he believed the board and superintendent could work together and had yet to prove otherwise.

But there is nothing I have seen.

I repeat, I heard today that tells me the problem is that the board has gotten in the way of the superintendent.

Our prevented him from taking the actions necessary to improve the district.

In fact, quite the opposite.

For another Senate minority leader.

Democratically elected school boards are the essence of local decision making.

What are we saying?

We also have more local control, not less.

But no Senate bill one goes in the opposite direction, says we want less public control.

The bill passed 29 to 7 with all Democrats, and Shepherdsville Republican Senator Michael Nemeth, who represents part of Jefferson County.

Voting no for Kentucky edition.

I'm Emily Sisk.

As it remained in its place last week.

Jefferson County Superintendent Brian Yearwood testified in committee against the bill, saying he should not have that added authority.