Jefferson County (Ky.) board postpones vote on school closures

Board members say they need more time to evaluate the plan, which calls for closing or consolidating several schools and programs.
Dec. 10, 2025

Key Highlights

  • The school board delayed a vote on closures to review a more detailed proposal from district administrators.
  • The district faces a $188 million budget shortfall and is looking to make significant cuts including school closures and relocations.
  • Superintendent Brian Yearwood has been asked to present a revised plan by December 23.
Jefferson County Public Schools

The Jefferson County (Kentucky) school board has delayed its vote on a proposal to close and consolidate several schools amid a major budget shortfall.

WLKY-TV reports that board members say they need more time to figure out how the plan will affect the district. They have asked Superintendent Brian Yearwood and his team to present a fuller scope of the rationale behind the proposal.

The proposal called for closing Zachary Taylor Elementary and Liberty High; moving King Elementary students into Maupin Elementary; and relocating Waller-Williams Environmental and the Georgia Chaffee Teenage Parent Program.

The closures would help the district get closer to achieving the massive cuts it needs to make to balance its budget. Administrators say the district is facing a $188 million budget shortfall.

Yearwood says the cuts will still have to happen somewhere, warning that the disrict has to trim $132 million to avoid missing payroll.

The board is requesting Yearwood present a new proposal to them on or before Dec. 23.

About the Author

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Mike Kennedy

Senior Editor

Mike Kennedy has been writing about education for American School & University since 1999. He also has reported on schools and other topics for The Chicago Tribune, The Kansas City Star, The Kansas City Times and City News Bureau of Chicago. He is a graduate of Michigan State University.

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