Jefferson County superintendent says every student will get access to orchestra and instrumental music

Superintendent Marty Polio told the Jefferson County Board of Education on March 18 that Jefferson County Public Schools will expand orchestra and other instrumental music so every student will have access.

Polio said the district intends to add teachers and funding where possible and to follow the Jefferson County Teachers Association (JCTA) contract in implementing the plan. "All students will have access to orchestra and or instrumental music, and all schools will have funding to support that," Polio said.

Why it matters: Polio said access to instrumental music had been distributed unevenly over decades and that the district’s previous practice left many schools—especially higher-poverty schools—without elementary or middle‑school instrumental programs. He framed the expansion as an equity initiative tied to the district’s broader student‑assignment and program history.

What the board heard: Polio traced the history of music access, saying programs were once concentrated in schools with preexisting community resources. He told the board the district will "follow the JCTA contractual process," that no layoffs are planned in connection with the change, and that the district anticipates hiring new orchestra teachers (Polio said “as many as 13 brand new orchestra teachers” while describing staffing needs).

Polio said the district will convene a "fifty‑fifty committee" to make pairing decisions (the committee will help determine which schools are paired for shared positions and how assignments are made). He emphasized that principals and site‑based councils retain legally required local decision‑making authority and that implementation must respect the contract and legal limits.

Board reaction and next steps: Board members voted without objection on routine agenda items earlier in the meeting; the board did not vote on a final implementation plan for music on March 18. Polio and district staff said they will continue to work with JCTA and build out staffing, funding and pairings before placing assignments.

What the district did not specify: The board and superintendent described a planned expansion and additional funding for fine arts but did not provide a line‑item dollar total for the orchestra expansion or a school‑by‑school implementation timeline beyond the formation of the committee and adherence to the collective bargaining process.