We are on the right path and we are making progress.

That was the message from Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Polio during his annual state of the District address today in Louisville.

Polio reflected on what he learned in his seven years as the superintendent of Jeeps.

Among the highlights, being nationally recognized as leader in learning loss recovery after the pandemic.

However, polio did acknowledge the student achievement gap as one of the big challenges facing the district.

Another student transportation, a problem he says, has no easy solution.

Ten years ago, we had over 950 bus drivers.

Right now we have approximately 550 bus drivers and we are providing the same services to families all across this district that we did with 950 bus drivers.

It is not a paradigm that can continue.

We're going to have to make tough choices.

And none of those choices have great answers or don't or might have unintended consequences with them.

We are going to have to make the tough decisions because there's only two things we can do.

Increase drivers or decrease routes.

That's what we can do.

And so we are working extremely hard on increasing drivers, but at the same time having to make some difficult decisions about routes so that we won't have kids missing school or getting late home at night.

Polio also used the address to take aim at state lawmakers saying proposed anti diversity, equity and inclusion legislation will only widen student achievement gaps.

He also says resolutions filed by Louisville area GOP legislators could split up the Jefferson County School District.

What caused long term damage to the community?

Splitting up the district?

This is my opinion.

I believe this.

I've been in this district 27 years and whatever happens will be posed to me.

So it's not about my job.

It will be the most damaging decision made to this community in many, many years.

So not only will our teachers in our high need schools not be paid $8,000 more, they will actually be paid $8,000 less to work in our high need schools.

We will not be able to do any of the things we've done.

Clearly, we are on the right path.

We are walking that right path splitting up the district is not the answer.

I would challenge the legislators this.

If that is what you want and to have a commission to study JCPenney's, make sure it's well represented from the people that will have the impact of this decision.

Pollio also responded to calls by some lawmakers for another audit of the district.

He says the district has undergone six audits since 2017, all with positive findings.

So he has plenty of audits for those lawmakers to look over.