Jefferson County Schools reviews five-year strategic plan and flags $750,000 ELA materials request
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Summary
District leaders outlined progress on a five-year strategic plan—reporting major gains on college- and career-readiness and work to expand instructional materials—while the board was told it will be asked to approve a $750,000 fund-balance request to buy ELA materials for grades 6–8.
The Jefferson County Schools director presented a two-year review of the district’s five-year strategic plan and described gains in college- and career-readiness metrics, while previewing a budget request the school board will consider at its upcoming business session.
The director (S6) said the district adopted new science instructional materials for K–12, launched a teacher-leader program and a mentor/retention position for early-career teachers, and funded tutoring in elementary grades. He said the district’s CCR (college- and career-ready) indicator rose from about 63% to 74.4% in one year and that the board’s five-year goal is 75%. The director identified the ACT ELA benchmark as the main remaining gap in meeting that target and said the plan includes continuing investments in ELA materials and teacher training.
During the presentation the director said the plan anticipates an annual materials reserve and noted a roughly $400,000 estimate allocated each year to support curricular purchases. He also described the Innovative School Models (ISM) grant lifecycle: the program was initially funded by the governor for year one, the district incrementally assumed a larger share (25% then about 50% and now roughly 75%), and he said the board will need to decide whether to fully fund the program if the state does not continue support.
Board members asked how much ISM costs annually. A board member (S2) estimated roughly $1,000,000 in salary-related costs and said those costs will appear in next year’s budget presentation.
S2 also told the board the business agenda will include a request to use $750,000 of fund balance to purchase ELA materials for the grades affected by the delayed adoption cycle; that request is scheduled for formal consideration and budget approval at the business session. The director said additional state grant opportunities exist for behavioral supports and other initiatives, but he acknowledged the district still needs to build a stronger outward-facing communications campaign and plans to hire a community relations person to lead that work.
The board did not take a vote at this meeting; S2 said the ELA fund-balance request will be presented with the budget for board approval at the business session.
What’s next: The board will consider the $750,000 fund-balance request and the budget at the business session next Thursday, with the policy meeting on April 27 set for first readings of six policies.