JCPS has two proposals to change school start times. Here’s what you need to know

Krista Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read

In an effort to fix its transportation system, Jefferson County Public Schools is again changing some start times for the upcoming school year.

Board members are expected to vote May 7 on one of two scenarios for how start times could shift, according to district leaders. The first scenario would affect far fewer schools but result in less efficiency in bus routes compared to the second scenario, according to records obtained by The Courier Journal.

All schools not listed in either scenario will keep their current start time, aside from those currently at the 7:40 a.m. slot. Those schools will move to a 7:30 a.m. start time. The Brown School and Pathfinder will keep their 8 a.m. start times.

More: Does JCPS have a culture of fear and retaliation? What some employees and officials say

Here is what we know about the two scenarios.

Scenario 1

This scenario would require close to 50 schools to change their start times — excluding those moving from 7:40 to 7:30.

According to a copy of a JCPS presentation obtained by The Courier Journal, this scenario would fix "major pain points" in the current transportation system and would increase the rate of students getting to and from school on time.

This plan, though, is not geographically based and will cause driver fatigue, according to the presentation. Additionally, only 20% to 30% of routes would be mirrored — meaning students ride the same bus with the same driver in the morning and afternoon — and students would get home later than if the board chooses the second scenario.

Schools with a 7:30 a.m. to 2:10 p.m. schedule:

Elementary

  • Auburndale

  • Camp Taylor

  • Norton

  • Sanders

  • Wilkerson

  • Wilder

Middle

  • Knight

  • Lassiter

  • Minor Daniels

  • Moore

  • Ramsey

High

  • Breckenridge Metro

  • Western Magnet

Specialty

  • Newcomer Academy

  • TAPP

  • The Phoenix School of Discovery

Schools with an 8:40 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. schedule:

Elementary

  • Audubon

  • Brandeis

  • Carter Traditional

  • Coleridge-Taylor Montessori

  • Foster Traditional Academy

  • Greathouse/Shryock

  • Hawthorne

  • Lincoln

  • Schaffner Traditional

  • Stopher

  • Young

Specialty

  • Waller-Williams Environmental

Schools with a 9:40 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. schedule:

Elementary

  • Bates

  • Blue Lick

  • Chenoweth

  • Coral Ridge

  • Dunn

  • Eisenhower

  • Field

  • Greenwood

  • Hartstern

  • Johnsontown Road

  • Kenwood

  • Kerrick

  • Laukhuf

  • Luhr

  • Middletown

  • Norton Commons

  • Portland

  • Rangeland

  • Shacklette

  • Smyrna Traditional

Scenario 2

The second scenario for how start times could shift would have a far greater impact on schools, but it would result in more benefits for the district's transportation system, according to a JCPS presentation.

Evening routes would end earlier, students would get to and from school on time more frequently, 50% to 60% of routes would be mirrored and drivers would be in geographical regions, meaning less fatigue. This also, according to the presentation, answers many of the school division leaders' requests for changes.

Under this plan, these schools would see significant shifts in their start times.

Schools with a 7:30 a.m. to 2:10 p.m. schedule:

Elementary

  • Auburndale

  • Byck

  • Goldsmith

  • King

  • Luhr

  • Maupin

  • McFerran Prep Academy

  • Norton

  • Smyrna

  • Wilder

Middle

  • Farnsley

  • Knight

  • Meyzeek

  • Minor Daniels

  • Newburg

  • Ramsey

  • The Academy @ Shawnee

  • Thomas Jefferson

  • Westport

High

  • Breckenridge Metro High

  • Mary Ryan

  • Minor Daniels

  • The Acamdey @ Shawnee

  • Western Magnet High

Specialty

  • Liberty

  • Newcomer

  • TAPP

  • The Phoenix School of Discovery

Schools with an 8:40 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. schedule:

Elementary

  • Atkinson

  • Audubon

  • Brandeis

  • Breckenridge-Franklin

  • Cane Run

  • Carter Traditional

  • Cochran

  • Coleridge-Taylor Montessori

  • Dixie

  • Engelhard

  • Foster

  • Greathouse

  • Hawthorne

  • Lincoln

  • Mill Creek

  • Perry

  • Schaffner Traditional

  • Young

Middle

  • Barrett

  • Conway

  • Jefferson County Traditional

  • Johnson

  • Moore

High

  • Atherton

  • Moore Traditional

Specialty

  • Waller-Williams

Schools with a 9:40 a.m. to 4:20 p.m. schedule:

Elementary

  • Bates

  • Blake

  • Blue Lick

  • Camp Taylor

  • Chancey

  • Chenoweth

  • Coral Ridge

  • Crums Lane

  • Dunn

  • Eisenhower

  • Field

  • Greenwood

  • Hartstern

  • Hite

  • Johnsontown Road

  • Kenwood

  • Kerrick

  • Laukhuf

  • Lowe

  • Middletown

  • Norton Commons

  • Rangeland

  • Sanders

  • Shacklette

  • St. Matthews

  • Stopher

  • Trunnell

  • Wilkerson

  • Zachary Taylor

Middle

  • Carrithers

  • Olmstead Academy North

  • Olmstead Academy South

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: JCPS school start times are changing. Here are the two proposals