Composite story
JCPS substitutes refuse assignments after a long-term pay cut
Louisville, KentuckyPublished 27 Sep 2026
Jefferson County substitutes turned down jobs on Sept. 25 after the district cut the long-term premium from 50 percent to 25 percent above daily pay. JCPS said the change saves about $4 million. Outlets do not agree on whether a $1,000 incentive is still paid.
Jefferson County Public Schools cut the premium long-term substitutes earn after 20 days in one assignment from 50 percent to 25 percent, a change the district said saves about $4 million. Substitutes protested at board meetings and refused assignments on Sept. 25. The district reported more open substitute jobs that day than a year earlier. Sources disagree on whether a separate $1,000 incentive is still paid.
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JCPS sub vacancies up by nearly 100 from same time last year amid protest
Published 25 Sep 2026 accessed 27 Sep 2026
Facts
JCPS had 329 unfilled substitute assignments at 8:30 a.m. Friday.
Barnard Baker said he had not heard of disruptions to instruction Friday morning.
Audrey Sharber said organizers asked substitutes to take Friday off or to refuse four schools that rely on them.
The cuts affect long-term substitutes who cover medical leave, parental leave, and vacant teaching jobs.
JCPS has used incentive pay to draw substitutes into long-term jobs.
Allie Jensen, who uses they/them pronouns, is considering another job because of the pay cut.
JCPS leaders said on Sept. 22 that next school year's deficit stands at $51.5 million.
Jensen said that without substitutes, teachers may cover classes during planning periods or take students from another classroom.
Allie Jensen most recently taught theatre at the Grace M. James Academy of Excellence.
Barnard Baker said on Aug. 11 that JCPS will look at restoring pay as its finances improve.
JCPS started 2026-27 with roughly 70 fewer teacher vacancies than the year before.
Blackout organizers asked substitutes not to accept assignments at those four schools.
Barnard Baker thanked substitute teachers for their partnership and service.
Teacher vacancies have long been a problem for JCPS, though the district has improved in recent years.
Some jobs, especially special education, remain hard to fill.
The Choice Zone teacher stipend was cut 25 percent and will be phased out in four years.
Teachers in the district's lowest-performing schools lost an $8,000 stipend.
Other stipends for full-time teachers have also been cut.
The Choice Zone is 13 schools in and around west Louisville under the latest student-assignment plan.
The Jefferson County Teachers Association filed a class-action grievance accusing JCPS of violating the contract over those cuts.
The pay decrease followed a classification change in summer 2025, and the stipends were not cut until a year later.
Opinion
Allie Jensen called a $900 monthly pay cut unsustainable.
Allie Jensen said the cut risks losing educators and hurting student stability before vacancies are filled.
Allie Jensen said substitute teachers are essential to keeping a school running.
Barnard Baker said decisions about compensation are significant and can be challenging.
JCPS substitute teachers stage a blackout over pay cuts
Published 25 Sep 2026 accessed 27 Sep 2026
Facts
District leaders tied the substitute pay cuts to work on a $188 million budget deficit.
Substitute teachers make $155 to $195 a day, depending on education and experience.
Allie Jensen received a July 29 email saying the long-term incentive was being reduced.
Allie Jensen said that without the incentive, bills are not covered unless Jensen works every school day and holds a long-term placement.
Friday was supposed to be Allie Jensen's last day at that school.
Audrey Sharber said that after calculating the cut, she would not be able to handle it.
Audrey Sharber substitutes at Engelhard Elementary and has worked for JCPS for five years, mostly in long-term vacancies.
Audrey Sharber said substitutes acted because the district did not appear to be listening.
This is Audrey Sharber's second year in the same classroom because the school has not found a permanent teacher.
Audrey Sharber said JCPS now requires a bachelor's degree or higher for long-term substitutes.
Audrey Sharber said she is a single mother.
Audrey Sharber said substitutes with degrees can find jobs that pay more than a first-year teacher.
Barnard Baker said school leaders were arranging classroom coverage Friday morning.
Barnard Baker said staffing figures were still changing as assignments were accepted.
JCPS spokesperson Barnard Baker issued a statement on the substitute protest.
Barnard Baker said JCPS will tally requested, filled, and unfilled substitute assignments once the numbers are final.
The JCPS board must approve the school-year budget by Sept. 30.
Opinion
Allie Jensen said Jensen cannot survive on the substitute wages JCPS now pays.
Allie Jensen hopes the blackout shows what it will look like if substitutes leave and the pay is not restored.
Audrey Sharber said substitutes keep the classrooms running.
Barnard Baker said JCPS values every educator, including long-term substitutes.
JCPS substitute teachers protest pay cut as district addresses vacancies
Published 1 Sep 2026 accessed 27 Sep 2026
Facts
Abigail Dimeler said the cut is about $880 a month for a substitute with a bachelor's degree.
Audrey Sharber said she is in the same classroom for much less pay.
Abigail Dimeler and Audrey Sharber said they wanted the school board to hear their concerns.
Of those vacancies, 82 were in special education, science, mathematics, or English as a second language.
Melvin Brown said the district needs to focus on keeping teachers.
Melvin Brown said the district also needs to address compensation.
The substitutes said they are filling staffing gaps for now.
JCPS identified four schools with critical staffing shortages and said solving them should be a priority.
Audrey Sharber said classroom behavior also concerns her.
Brian Yearwood said the cuts will be revisited once the financial crisis is over.
Brian Yearwood said the district will look at restoring what affects children in the classroom every day.
Opinion
Brian Yearwood said the pay change was necessary to stabilize the district's finances.
Abigail Dimeler called that monthly loss pretty extreme.
Brian Yearwood said substitutes do a fantastic job and make many sacrifices.
Melvin Brown said retention is not only about pay.
Melvin Brown said retention is also about the work experience.
Abigail Dimeler said the district can present numbers and still not know what is happening.
JCPS Board Meeting: subs demand pay increase, plan introduced to address teacher shortage
Published 22 Sep 2026 accessed 27 Sep 2026
Facts
The Jefferson County Board of Education met on Sept. 1 at the VanHoose Education Center.
JCPS recognized students chosen for the 2026-27 Commissioner's Student Advisory Council.
Seven advocates spoke about long-term substitute pay.
Jeremiah Stephens of Manual and Amelia Hassett of J. Graham Brown were the students selected.
JCPS recognized 14 newly certified principals.
JCPS recognized police officer Michael Bogan Jr. as Recruit of Distinction at the training academy.
Three JCPS teachers were selected for the Kentucky Department of Education's 2026-27 Innovative Teacher Cohort.
JCPS made the substitute pay cut because of the budget deficit.
Greathouse/Shryock Traditional Elementary was named a 2026-27 National PTA School of Excellence.
Melvin Brown, executive officer of talent, presented a plan to address the JCPS teacher shortage.
People at the meeting held signs reading "protest our pay" and "subs keep our schools running."
Melvin Brown said teacher vacancies had fallen 19.8 percent since July 30.
Most JCPS teacher vacancies are in special education, science, math, and ESL.
Brown's plan includes exit interviews and quarterly employee-experience surveys.
Melvin Brown said a fifth of teacher vacancies are at four schools.
Brown's plan assigns sponsors and weekly plans to those schools.
The plan also aims to clear half of high-need openings in 60 days and to cut vacancies every week.
The next JCPS board meeting was set for Sept. 22 at the VanHoose Education Center.
Opinion
Audrey Sharber said the district should restore the pay or substitutes will walk away.
Maddie Shepherd said substitutes are educators and part of the working class.
Jefferson County substitute teachers face reduced long-term pay boost
Published 10 Aug 2026 accessed 27 Sep 2026
Facts
Audrey Sharber said the change means about $880 less a month for her household.
Audrey Sharber said substitutes are not paid over breaks.
Audrey Sharber said she relies on the cut incentive to get through unpaid breaks.
Audrey Sharber works in an emotional and behavioral disorders classroom.
Audrey Sharber said the students in her classroom do not know she is a substitute.
Audrey Sharber said that if the pay is not restored she will leave to provide for herself and her child.
Audrey Sharber said she is expected to handle behavior like a certified teacher while being paid much less.
Audrey Sharber said the work can be exhausting.
Audrey Sharber said the job lets her take her son Michael to appointments without using vacation days.
JCPS said it will keep evaluating substitute pay incentives during the financial recovery.
Opinion
Audrey Sharber said that shows the relationships built with the students.