Jefferson County Board of Education approves organizational charts amid budget and process concerns

The Jefferson County Board of Education approved new organizational charts and job descriptions at a Feb. 13 special meeting, 5–2, after a presentation from Doctor Yearwood laying out a stabilization plan the administration says is aimed at protecting classrooms while addressing financial and organizational instability.

Doctor Yearwood told the board the proposal “is grounded in 1 principle, and that principle is stability for district and most importantly for our classrooms,” framing the changes as measures to ensure sustainability and cost containment rather than cuts for their own sake. He said the adjustments combine financial measures and an organizational realignment intended to support classroom efficiency and effectiveness.

Board members split over the approach. Mister Craig said the process lacked authentic collaboration and asked for a clear accounting of earlier commitments tied to the Choice Zone, including stipends and staffing promises, saying, “We have to fill this $40,000,000 gap that's in our budget.” He added that “the responsibility ultimately does rest with the superintendent” but said he would not support the plan, concluding, “So you don't have my vote for it tonight.”

Miss Lister pressed for clarity on the renamed Department of Access and Opportunity and cautioned that federal oversight findings must be addressed consistently across the district: “the DOJ told us that our response to those disruptions is not even across the District,” she said, urging the board not to treat the renaming as evidence of compliance without demonstration. Doctor Yearwood replied that the department would continue and strengthen equity work with a focus on absenteeism and student behavior across the district.

Several board members expressed appreciation for the staff work and acknowledged the difficulty of the choices. Miss Duncan described the decision as one of the hardest she has faced and noted that some staff would need to reapply for retasked or renamed positions; she praised the clarity of accountability pathways in the proposed charts. The chair reminded members that the tentative budget is scheduled to come before the board in May and that adjustments, additions, and deletions are expected before then.

When the motion to approve the organizational charts and job descriptions was recorded, the chair read the roll: in favor — Mister Bass, Miss Duncan, Miss Strange, Mister Scholl, Miss Lister; opposed — Mister Everett, Mister Craig. The motion carried. Later, a motion to adjourn (moved by Mister Craig and seconded by Miss Strange) passed by voice vote and the meeting ended.

The board's action moves the proposed organizational structure forward as the district prepares its tentative budget for May; board members and staff signaled that further adjustments remain possible as the budget process continues.