Digging In: What to know about the state’s new JCPS task force

Kentucky’s GOP lawmakers have lobbed criticism at the Jefferson County Public Schools system for years — for its school assignment plan, for test scores, for giving the superintendent a raise, for bungling the buses and more.

Now, they’ve upped the ante by creating a task force to explore the practicalities of breaking up the district. It’s first meeting is today.

The group’s formation riled Democratic lawmakers and local public school advocates who fear dismantling the district would spell trouble for Louisville’s students.

KyCIR’s Jess Clark is following the issue and has already uncovered a problem with transparency: Lawmakers wouldn’t tell her who all applied to be on the task force.

She talked with LPM’s Bill Burton about her reporting.

This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Bill Burton : Jess, first off, what is the task force supposed to do?

Jess Clark : This task force is officially called the Efficient and Effective District Governance task force. It was created by the Republican-led General Assembly earlier this year to study JCPS and look at ways to improve it through possible restructuring. That is of course very controversial. Democrats are worried the task force will be used to push through a change that some Republicans have already said they are interested in , and that is breaking up the district. Republicans say they have no predetermined outcome in mind and they just want to look under the hood, so to speak.

BB : Who is on the task force?

JC : So, like most legislative task forces, this group has several lawmakers. The GOP created spots for four Republicans and two Democrats. The co-chairs are Republican Sen. Mike Nemes from Shepherdsville. His district includes parts of Jefferson County. The other co-chair is Republican Rep. Kim Banta from Ft. Mitchell in northern Kentucky. Banta is a retired school administrator.

BB : And I understand there are some non-legislator positions as well.

JC : Yes. And that’s where some of the concerns are around transparency. Lawmakers created spots for two JCPS parents, one JCPS teacher and one so-called business member from the committee. They got about 46 applications for those positions and announced their picks last week . They chose one Republican parent from the East End — a mom with a background in project management. That was likely attractive to lawmakers based on JCPS’ issues with project management that came to light with the disastrous rollout of the transportation plan . They also picked a Democrat parent from the South End who works for a local youth services nonprofit. There’s a member of the Jefferson County Teachers Association — the teacher’s union — who is also a registered Democrat. And the business member position is being filled by a registered Republican who is also the director of a small private school in Shively.

BB : So, why are there concerns about transparency?

JC : Lawmakers won’t tell us who else applied to be on the task force. KyCIR submitted a records request for everyone’s application materials and the request was denied. There’s little recourse because of the broad leeway the courts have given lawmakers to keep their records from the public eye. The fact that we don’t know who those other 40 or so people were gives some Democrats more pause. Especially since they already question the motivations behind creating the task force. Democratic lawmakers I spoke with are worried that by hiding the other applicants it gives Republicans cover to stack the committee with people who will support an outcome they already have in mind.

BB : And what do Republicans say to that?

JC : I spoke with Republican Rep. Ken Fleming from Louisville, who sponsored the legislation that created the task force, and he maintains there’s no predetermined outcome lawmakers are looking for.

BB : That’s Jess Clark, who covers education for the Kentucky Center for Investigative Reporting. Thanks, Jess.

JC : You’re welcome.