Support the Revenue Increase for Louisville's Public Schools: Moving towards Equity for JCPS Students

The Alliance To Reclaim Our Schools—Louisville (AROS) has always pushed for more investment in Jefferson County Schools. Black and Brown students, students who live in poverty, those with special learning disabilities, immigrants still learning English and/or homeless students make up three out of every four JCPS students. These students face hurdles that demand specialized help, programs, and support services.

That all costs money. Without adequate funding for these needs, these students fall farther and farther behind, producing the large academic gaps that plague our underfunded schools. Worse, a funded-for-failure system feeds the school to prison pipeline.

These disadvantaged students represent 60% of Jefferson County’s children. For Louisville to succeed, these children and their communities must succeed. Finally, Jefferson County has a school board willing to address these issues. After working with a community Task Force on additional revenue needs, they passed a historic increase in the property tax rate—seven cents per $100 of property value. Unfortunately, that increase can be recalled at the ballot box this November. We need your support to make sure that JCPS has the revenue they need to invest in our students.

This revenue increase alone cannot undo all the impacts of decades of under-funding at all levels and of discrimination. It is a historic step, though. AROS is fighting for our schools and for the revenue increase JCPS needs to support them. We hope you will, too.

To learn more about the details of where JCPS will invest new revenue and why it is needed, click here.

Please talk to your neighbors, co-workers, faith groups, and other organizations that you belong to. Click here for a one-page summary that explains the size of the increase, what it will be focused on and how we compare with other public school districts.

For a deep dive into the revenue increase, investments in our schools, and national research about impacts of public school funding on outcomes for students of color, those living in poverty, English language learners and immigrants, and special needs students, click here.

AND please take a moment to read about our Student Assignment Community Survey here. Student assignment changes will be voted on by the JCPS board this year and they dramatically impact the educational choices for each student. Take a few minutes to read the background about the issues and inequities built into how students choose and get assigned to schools. Then, answer the survey questions.