LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS) -- It's been almost three weeks since Kentucky interim education commissioner Dr. Wayne Lewis sent JCPS a settlement proposal ahead of a possible state takeover of Kentucky's largest school district.
After a four-hour meeting behind closed doors, the district's board of education could be closer to responding to the settlement proposal.
"If it lasted only 30 minutes to an hour, that would tell me they're not very close," former JCPS board member Stephen Imhoff said.
"I think we should be very encouraged by the fact that the board spent four hours on a Friday night in an executive session because that tells me that I think we're really close to having a settlement," former JCPS board member Sam Corbett said.
Some people, like Corbett, look forward to a settlement, telling WHAS11 an agreement would allow school officials to shift their focus back on the students and the new school year. Others, like Dear JCPS founder Gay Adelmann, said she would be disappointed with a settlement, instead wanting the board to fight the state takeover, even if it means going to court.
"The only party in this hearing that stands to lose anything is local taxpayers, JCPS. If KDE loses, then they just go back to business as usual, but if we lose, we lose everything," she said. "It's important that the community truly gets an opportunity to hear what's going on and understand this because it is complex."
Imhoff, who served three terms on the JCPS board of education, said he would be amenable to reaching a settlement if he were still a board member - on one condition.
"If they even want to be able to veto student assignment, don't do it," he said. "Go to court and fight it as long as you can because the worst thing that can happen is they'll run student assignment anyways if we lose."
In the latest proposal, the state would have control over JCPS's special education, restraint and seclusion, and earlier childhood education programs, according to earlier reports, but would give up its authority to control the student assignment plan.
"My fear is that we go back to business as usual, and that is where we're under constant microscopes, constant criticism, district leaders are put in a position to do what they think will look good," Adelmann said. "Our leaders need to be put in a position where they are empowered to fight for our kids."
"Even though Jefferson County will technically remain in control of student assignment, I think the commissioner and the state board are going to be watching carefully," Corbett said.
The JCPS Board of Education will hold a special meeting Monday at 6 to continue discussing the settlement proposal. The meeting will be held in executive session.