Published on 22 Apr 2024 on The Courier Journal via Yahoo Finance

New JCPS busing plan isn't just bad for students. It's bad for future business.

If you ask yourself “What’s best for Louisville’s kids?” or even “What’s best for Louisville’s economy?”, it’s obvious that the Jefferson County School Board should repeal their transportation plan that, among other concerning consequences, removes busing for non-resides students attending one of the Academies of Louisville programs. As business owners and supporters of the Academies program, we urge all parties to get back to the table and continue to wrestle with this problem.

As the plan stands today, the new JCPS busing plan reneges on the promise of opportunity for students and businesses. At a time when Louisville businesses need more trained employees, they’re likely to find fewer candidates from among JCPS graduates. While much discussion has rightly taken place regarding the lack of busing for magnet and traditional schools, we invite you to consider the implications to the business community that stem from the lack of busing for Academies of Louisville students. This decision impacts these students, and it impacts employers in ways that we should all be concerned about.