Jefferson County Public Schools officials appeared Monday before a new legislative task force that will examine the governance of Kentucky’s largest school district.?

Led by Marty Pollio, the district’s superintendent, the officials laid out information about the district’s enrollment, financial records, governance structure and more to the Efficient & Effective School District Governance Task Force. Monday marked the group’s first meeting, which was nearly two hours long.?

Created by a House resolution, the task force includes lawmakers and citizen members. The group will review school districts with enrollment above 75,000 students and JCPS is the only one in the state that meets that criteria. Its enrollment is almost? 94,000.?

“The only purpose of this task force is to find ways to better educate our children,” Co-chair Rep. Michael Nemes, R-Shepherdsville, said at the start of the meeting. “If you think that they are doing fine and they’re at the top, we want to make them better. If you think they’re struggling and at the bottom, we want to help them to do the best they can do.”?

Pollio, who had opposed the task force a few months ago, said the officials were providing data requested by the Legislative Research Commission (LRC). He said Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS), like other school systems, has faced issues in recent years that stem from the coronavirus pandemic, including addressing chronic absenteeism among students, catching up on learning loss and dealing with? staffing issues.?

“In education right now, it’s one of the most difficult times in our industry — across this nation, in this commonwealth — in many, many years,” Pollio said. “And so during the time that I’ve been superintendent, major challenges have occurred that are occurring in almost all districts, but some that are specific to us as well. “?

According to information presented, JCPS attendance rate is now 88%, down from 93.2% in 2019. Its chronic absenteeism rate is 38.4%, up from 22.8% in 2019. Chronic absenteeism is defined by students who miss more than 10% of days in a school year. Its graduation rate has improved from the 2017-18 school year to present —?81.6% to 87%.?

The school district has more than 18,025 employees and a total budget of more than $1.985 billion.?

While the committee did not take any action other than asking questions of the presenters on Monday, it will meet throughout the legislative interim. The next meeting is July 29.?

The task force is required to submit any recommendations to LRC by Dec. 1.?