LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Jefferson County Public Schools Superintendent Marty Pollio announced in a letter to families and staff Friday that he is retiring.
"I began crafting this letter about a month ago," he wrote. "It has taken me this long to complete it as I get emotional every time I return to the letter. I picked this day to send it out to the JCPS family, not anticipating canceling school today. However, it is probably appropriate with all the challenges we have tackled together over the last 7+ years."
According to his letter, Pollio will retire effective July 1, 2025. Next year is the final year of his three-year contract.
“In all candor, and as I’m sure you are aware, the journey has not been an easy one,” Pollio wrote in his letter. “Together, we have traversed through two of the largest crises in the history of public education. As a result of the pandemic and severe staffing shortages, our jobs have become much more difficult. Through all the major challenges, I am so proud of the accomplishments we have made together for the students of this community.”
At the beginning of the 2024-25 school year, the Jefferson County Public Schools Board of Education approved Pollio’s evaluation.
The previous school year he was rated as "exemplary" or "accomplished" in all categories. This school year, however, Pollio said the board marked one score of "needing improvement" under human resource leadership.
Pollio said the transportation disaster at the start of last school year played a role in his scores.
On the first day of school in 2023, the "transportation disaster" of JCPS made national news. Many students were never picked up in the morning and the last student was dropped off at nearly 10 p.m. that night.
"I believe that's rightfully so," Pollio said at the time about his score. "We need improvement not necessarily in the human resources department, but in human resources and I think that's a lot about shortage of bus drivers and what happened on the first day."
In May of this year students at Butler High School protested holding signs reading "Boycott KSA For Buses," "Fire Marty Pollio," "Give Our Buses Back," and "No Buses, No KSA."
During a special JCPS board meeting members passed the new transportation plan for the 2024-2025 school year, cutting school bus services for hundreds of students.
This led to two parents suing JCPS claiming their kids' civil rights are being "eviscerated" by the school district.
RELATED: JCPS parents sue district over bus transportation cuts, claim students' civil rights are violated
The plan was recommended by Pollio, who said given the district's bus driver shortage, it was the only feasible way to reduce delays and get kids to and from school in a more timely fashion.
Pollio said since signing on for another three years, he knew this school year was going to be his last with JCPS.
“I had planned since that time for the 2024-25 school year to be my final one. However, this will not be the end of my time in education. I hope to continue positively influencing public education moving forward in Kentucky and even at the national level,” he said.
Mayor Craig Greenberg released this statement about Pollio’s retirement:
“From his early days teaching and coaching at Shawnee High School to being principal of Jeffersontown and Doss High Schools and most recently serving as JCPS superintendent, Dr. Marty Pollio has dedicated his life and career to educating young people here in Louisville. I am thankful for his tireless service and efforts to improve educational outcomes for all students. We will continue working closely together for the remainder of his tenure on partnerships to improve public education in Louisville.”
Pollio's 2024 salary is $350,244.
