LOUISVILLE (WHAS11) -- The JCPS board voted unanimously on the racial equity policy at the April 8 meeting.
Its goal is to end racial disparities and close achievement gaps.
A member of the Kentucky Pastors in Action Coalition, Jerry Stephenson, said the local teachers union contract with the district is to blame for this growing achievement gap between minority and white students.
He cited an Analysis of Collective Bargaining Agreements in Kentucky Districts from the Office of Education Accountability from 2010. That analysis says administrators overwhelmingly expressed concern about the current hiring and staffing provisions in the JCTA contract about where teachers are placed.
"Intern and first year teachers are the ones being assigned to the low performing schools and we need the most experienced to be in those low performing schools in order to provide the consistency that is needed and that contract prevents financial incentive for getting those teachers willing to go into the low performing schools,” Stephenson said.
WHAS11 reached out to JCTA president Brent Mckim about this and have not received a response.
The policy voted on Tuesday night calls for a more diverse curriculum and requires special training. It also allows the community to hold the district accountable by creating an 11-member advisory council.
The policy said Superintendent Marty Pollio will have to meet with that council every other month and give progress reports twice a year.
