In this Noyce Track-1 project, we are partnering with Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) District, which is the largest school district in Kentucky and the 29th largest school district in the nation. JCPS enrolls more than 98,000 students; 55% of whom are minorities. JCPS operates 169 schools (134 regular schools, 20 specialized magnet schools and 15 academies). 81% of all children in Louisville attend JCPS schools (about 1 of every 7 students in KY attends a JCPS school). Most of the 134 JCPS schools are high-need schools. Over 65,000 students are bus riders (that’s over two-thirds of the JCPS student population). 62% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
JCPS Middle and High School Data and Information on Demographics
81% of JCPS high schools and 76% of the JCPS middle schools are designated as high-need schools. Number of JCPS high-need schools are located in the economically-challenged neighborhoods. The average teacher turnover rate of 25% in the JCPS middle and high schools are high. 67% of JCPS schools have a high poverty level. 110 out of 134 (82%) schools have students from families with income below the poverty line. 94 out of the 134 (70%) schools have a high (61% - 80%) poverty level to extreme-high (81% -100%) poverty level. African-American students are more likely to attend these high to extreme-high poverty schools. Notably, 16.7% of the JCPS high school students are considered as homeless, and 56.3% of these homeless students are African-Americans.
In recent years, most open positions at JCPS were in the STEM disciplines. Compounded by the 30% retirement rate, the district has continued to suffer from STEM teacher vacancies that are going unfilled. These unfilled STEM positions have resulted in the collapse of STEM classroom sections, excessive reliance on substitutes, and the overcrowding of students in other teachers’ classrooms to receive instruction in the STEM areas. The highest need STEM fields in JCPS are in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics (in that order). Many JCPS schools often have only one teacher who is responsible for all the STEM areas and few in-field STEM teachers have certification or a major in the STEM field taught. Due to the lack of Physics teachers, over 50% of the students are graduating from JCPS high schools without taking a single Physics course. The Integrated IA and IB Science courses at JCPS, which emphasize Physics and Chemistry contents, are being taught by mostly Biology-certified teachers. JCPS also has a need for dually-certified STEM teachers in its Integrated IA and IB science classes. Currently, less than 50% of JCPS high school teachers are Math-certified, 44% are Biology-certified, 15% are Chemistry-certified, and only 10% are Physics-certified.
JCPS New Teacher Induction and Mentoring Program
Upon certification, NKSP scholars will be assigned a BU faculty mentor, a mentor (teacher) at the JCPS school where they will be assigned to teach, as well as a Noyce scholar who is a teacher at a JCPS school or at another school in KY. Based on Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) mandate, JCPS recently implemented a robust mandatory induction/orientation and a professional development program for new teachers so that they can become highly effective teachers and grow professionally.
If you choose to teach at a JCPS school - JCPS will offer a robust Induction and mentoring program for NKSP scholars. Induction programs can impact teacher effectiveness and are key factors in producing consistently high student achievement levels in high-need school districts.
The JCPS new teacher induction program sessions are designed to provide support for new teachers in developing the skills needed to be an effective classroom teacher with strategies to engage, motivate, encourage, and teach students with a variety of learning needs and from diverse backgrounds. To support the transition of new teachers to JCPS, these sessions are a series induction workshops that include the following strands: Building the Learning Community, Student Engagement, Effectively Educating Diverse Populations, Reflective Teaching Practices, Organizing Your Classroom for Success, and Communicating with Students and Parents.
NKSP scholars will complete an induction program once they are employed at a JCPS school. JCPS will provide induction support during their first teaching year. JCPS induction encompasses orientation to the JCPS environment, mentoring, and guidance through beginning teacher practice. KDE provides new teachers access to professional development and learning opportunities that are posted on KDE’s Professional Learning Bulletin Board (PLBB)including COVID-19 Professional Learning Resources.
The new teacher mentoring program, an extension of the orientation process, is designed to support and retain new teachers and to aid their Professional growth. Mentoring is designed as a two-semester program that pairs an existing teacher leader with a new teacher to provide a non-evaluative coach (experienced mentor) through ongoing mentoring, just-in-time professional development, observations, and support.
For more information about Jefferson County Public Schools, visit: