Goals and Guardrails

Jefferson County Board of Education

After soliciting community input, the Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) approved a set of priorities for the next five years. As part of the Student Outcomes-Focused Governance (SOFG) framework, the JCBE adopted goals and guardrails to help guide the Board’s decision-making. The JCBE approved five goals and five guardrails.

Goals and Guardrails Star Logo

Goal 1
Elementary School Academic Readiness

The percentage of 5th-grade students who score “ready” on the JCPS Academic Readiness measures will increase from % in June 2025 to % by June 2030.

(Baseline data and annual goals and targets will be established in July 2025)

Goal 2
Middle School Academic Readiness

The percentage of 8th-grade students who score “ready” on the JCPS Academic Readiness measures will increase from % in June 2025 to % by June 2030.

(Baseline data and annual goals and targets will be established in July 2025)

Goal 3
High School Academic Readiness

The percentage of 12th-grade students who score “ready” on the JCPS Academic Readiness measures will increase from % in June 2025 to % by June 2030.

(Baseline data and annual goals and targets will be established in July 2025)

Goal 4
3rd Grade Literacy

The percentage of 3rd-grade students who met or exceeded their expected growth and/or achievement benchmarks (50th percentile) in Reading according to the Spring MAP assessment will increase from 66% in June 2024 to 81% by June 2030.

Annual Targets: SY24-25 =68%; SY25-26=70%; SY26-27=72%; SY27-28=75%; SY28-29=78%; SY29-30=81%

Goal 5
8th Grade Numeracy

The percentage of 8th-grade students who met or exceeded their expected growth and/or achievement benchmarks (50th percentile) in Math according to the Spring Map assessment will increase from 61% in June 2024 to 76% by June 2030.

Annual Targets: SY24-25 =63%; SY25-26=65%; SY26-27=67%; SY27-28=70%; Y28-29=73%; SY29-30=76%

Goals and Guardrails Star Logo

Guardrail 1
Protect Safety

JCPS shall not allow unsafe conditions (either socially, emotionally, or physically).

Guardrail 2
Protect Racial Equity

JCPS shall not make significant decisions without first ensuring alignment with the Racial Equity Plan.

Guardrail 3
Protect Inclusive Decision Making

JCPS shall not make significant decisions without collaborating with impacted stakeholders.

Guardrail 4
Protect Fair Spending

JCPS shall not allow inequitable resource allocation for ECE students and/or ML students.

Guardrail 5
Protect Appropriate Testing

JCPS shall not utilize more than the minimum number of district-mandated assessments to monitor student outcomes.

Goals and Annual Targets

Baseline

Annual Targets

Goal

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

Goal 1: Elementary School Academic Readiness
(5th grade)—in development

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Interim Goal 1.1 3rd Grade Reading

45%

47%

50%

55%

Interim Goal 1.2 4th Grade Math

39%

41%

44%

49%

Interim Goal 1.3 4th Grade Milestones
in development

TBD

TBD

TBD

Goal 2: Middle School Academic Readiness
(8th grade)—in development

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Interim Goal 2.1 6th Grade Reading

45%

47%

50%

55%

Interim Goal 2.2 7th Grade Math

30%

32%

35%

40%

Interim Goal 2.3 7th Grade Milestones
in development

TBD

TBD

TBD

Goal 3: High School Academic Readiness
(12th grade)—in development

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

TBD

Interim Goal 3.1 9th Grade Reading

41%

43%

45%

50%

Interim Goal 3.2 10th Grade Math

16%

18%

21%

26%

Interim Goal 3.3 10th Grade Milestones
in development

TBD

TBD

TBD

Goal 4: 3rd Grade Literacy

66%

68%

70%

72%

75%

78%

81%

Interim Goal 4.1 1st Grade Reading

64%

66%

69%

74%

Interim Goal 4.2 2nd Grade Reading

65%

67%

70%

75%

Interim Goal 4.3 3rd Grade Evidence of Learning Check
in development

TBD

TBD

TBD

Goal 5: 8th Grade Numeracy

61%

63%

65%

67%

70%

73%

76%

Interim Goal 5.1 6th Grade Math

55%

57%

60%

65%

Interim Goal 5.2 7th Grade Math

57%

59%

62%

67%

Interim Goal 5.3 8th Grade Evidence of Learning Check
in development

TBD

TBD

TBD

Note: NEW interims will have to be set after current annual targets expire (2027). These may stay the same if they are considered to be quality interims that are predictive of the overall goal being met, and/or may be changed/adjusted if Supt. believes there are better interims. The board will receive updates before the current interims expire. 

 

Guardrails and Annual Targets

2024

2025

2026

2027

2028

2029

2030

Guardrail 1: Protect Safety

Interim Guardrail 1.1 Bullying/Harassment Resolution Time

53%

58%

63%

68%

Interim Guardrail 1.2 Operations and IT Completion Time

in development

Interim Guardrail 1.3 Staff Perceptions of Safety

73%

76%

78%

80%

Guardrail 2: Protect Racial Equity

Interim Guardrail 2.1 Equity Screener Scores

in development

Interim Guardrail 2.2 REAP Decisions

90%

94%

97%

100%

Interim Guardrail 2.3 Louisville Teacher Residency Retention Rate

87%

88%

89%

91%

Guardrail 3: Protect Inclusive Decision Making

Interim Guardrail 3.1 Staff Perceptions of Teacher Voice & Leadership

77%

79%

82%

85%

Interim Guardrail 3.2 Parent & Staff Communication

52%

56%

61%

66%

Interim Guardrail 3.3 Collaborative District and School Leadership Team

in development

Guardrail 4: Protect Fair Spending

Interim Guardrail 4.1 ECE Least Restrictive Environment

56%

57%

58%

59%

Interim Guardrail 4.2 English Language Progress

56% (2023)

59%

61%

63%

Interim Guardrail 4.3 Technological Support

in development

Guardrail 5: Protect Appropriate Testing

Interim Guardrail 5.1 Backpack Milestones

in development

Interim Guardrail 5.2 Defense of Learning

in development

Interim Guardrail 5.3 Assessment Integrity

in development