LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) Superintendent Dr. Brian Yearwood announced a set of recommended facility changes for the 2026-27 school year, driven by a commitment to provide modern, high-quality and cost-effective learning environments for every student. These proposals, which include closures, consolidations, and facility upgrades, require approval by the Jefferson County Board of Education.
"These are difficult but necessary steps," Dr. Brian Yearwood said. "We made this decision after a thorough examination of the quality and capacity of our facilities and our educational models."
The Facility Profile Index informed the majority of these decisions. The JCPS Operations team created this tool to assess the costs of JCPS schools by analyzing facility condition, enrollment percentages, and cost per student.
After an in-depth review of this report and critical conversations, Yearwood recommends closing Zachary Taylor Elementary, moving Waller-Williams Environmental, consolidating King Elementary into Maupin Elementary, and relocating the Georgia Chaffee Teenage Parent Program.
Additionally, we are proposing the closure of Liberty High School. This school was initially created to serve students in the credit recovery process. Today, well-rounded credit recovery resources are implemented across JCPS, making the stand-alone Liberty model no longer necessary. If passed, students will return to their resides schools, with mandated Personal Learning Plans (PLPs) and robust social-emotional support to provide an accelerated path to credit recovery.
JCPS recommends closing Zachary Taylor Elementary because enrollment is under 50% of the school’s capacity. If passed, students will reapply, ranking choices from elementary schools in the Ballard High zone.
JCPS recommends relocating Waller-Williams Environmental because of enrollment and cost. The school is at 39% of its capacity and the cost per student is about $111,000. While this is a specialized school and requires additional resources, the average cost per student at JCPS specialized schools is about $62,000. If passed, we’ll be moving this school to an existing facility in the Fairdale neighborhood that’s better suited to its size.
JCPS recommends consolidating King Elementary because of the school’s enrollment and costs. The school is at 70% capacity and the average cost per student is more than $10,000 above the JCPS average for elementary schools. At the same time, Maupin Elementary has 53% enrollment but a lower cost per student. JCPS recommends merging the two schools at Maupin’s more cost-effective facility.
Finally, JCPS recommends moving the Georgia Chaffee Teenage Parent Program (TAPP) because enrollment is at 21% of their current facility’s capacity and JCPS leadership found a more efficient location. The proposal moves the program to the Gheens Early Childhood Center on Louisville Male High School’s campus.
In addition to the closures and relocations described above, JCPS has several new construction and boundary changes for the 2026-27 school year:
W.E.B. DuBois Academy will transition to its newly constructed campus behind Thomas Jefferson Middle School.
Grace James Academy of Excellence will move into the former DuBois building on Indian Trail.
A new, stand-alone Early Childhood Center adjacent to Watterson Elementary is expected to open in August 2026.
A major renovation and addition project at Atherton High School is scheduled for completion.
Echo Trail Middle School will see a boundary adjustment for incoming students who live north of I-64 and west of Valhalla Golf Club to ease overcrowding. (Note: Current students at Echo Trail will not be impacted).
Families and staff interested in sharing their feedback or asking questions are invited to attend a community forum or submit written comments through the Proposed Facility Changes Form.
Forum 1: Monday, Dec. 1, from 5–6 p.m. at Kammerer Middle School. Address: 7315 Westboro Rd.
Forum 2: Tuesday, Dec. 2, from 5–6 p.m. at the JCPS Center for Professional Learning. Address: 3903 Atkinson Square Dr.
Forum 3: Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 5–6 p.m. at Academy @ Shawnee. Address: 4001 Herman St.
Information gathered through this process will be used to answer common questions, update the Frequently Asked Questions page, and create a summary document that will be shared with the Board.
The proposals are expected to be presented to the Board for a final vote at the December 9 Board Meeting.
