LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Transportation could be returned for some students at Jefferson County Public Schools during the spring semester.

Monday, JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio discussed the academic year and future for the state's largest school district. Pollio announced in September his plans for retirement at the end of this school year, meaning he has one semester left leading JCPS.

JCPS now has enough drivers from Louisville's public transportation agency to possibly restore some bus routes that were cut, according to the district. Earlier this year, JCPS said it needed dozens of drivers from the Transit Authority of River City (TARC) licensed to drive school buses.

JCPS is considering restoring routes for: Male, Manual and Butler High School students on free or reduced lunch; all students at Johnson Traditional Middle School; all students at Coleridge Taylor and Young Elementary Schools.

TARC and JCPS reached an agreement about six months ago for TARC to provide drivers who were in jeopardy of being laid off to the school district to help with the shortage of school bus drivers.

"The journey has been a little longer than we wanted to get to the number we needed," Pollio said Monday. "I'm proud and happy that we are there right now."

But before routes can be restored, the JCPS Board of Education must approve it. The next regular school board meeting is scheduled for late January.

If passed, JCPS transportation officials estimate it could take at least six weeks after that to ask magnet and traditional school families if they want bus service, reassign routes for bus drivers, and allow TARC drivers a chance to practice their routes.

In April, the school board voted for a plan that cut transportation to all magnet and traditional schools, with the exception of Central and Western high schools, which both have a 75% threshold of students on free or reduced lunch.

Pollio believes some students could have routes restored in this March.

"The toughest decision I had to make by far was the decision on transportation last spring," he said. "I don't think there was any other choice in the matter in what we were facing. I hated to make that decision. But I just saw the impact it was having on thousands and thousands of kids every single day."

Pollio said JCPS needs more than 700 bus drivers to restore all previous routes effectively. He said JCPS now has more than 600 bus drivers.

"We have to get students to school on time," Pollio said. "It is important we don't have students missing instructional minutes. Unfortunately in the past few years that's been millions of minutes."

Pollio also said pick-up at the end of the school day is more efficient since the start of the school year, which he said is similar to to most years.

"Our goal and what we accomplished, which was to get kids to school on time, we are doing that each and every day very effectively and efficiently right now with the bus drivers that we have," Pollio said.

Pollio said the school district's clear time, meaning when all students have been dropped off, was 5:40 p.m. last week. He said all students were home within an hour and a half after the last bell.

"We are seeing better transportation than we ever have," Pollio said. "It was a very difficult cost and decision, but we had to make sure kids got to school on time."

Pollio has spent more than 27 years working at JCPS. He's held the role of superintendent for the past seven-and-a-half years, and his tenure included navigating the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We've faced, in the seven-and-a-half years I've been superintendent, multiple crises, probably two of the greatest crises public education has ever seen," Pollio said. "The impact it had on school districts continues to impact students in schools today."

In addition to the pandemic, schools around the country have faced shortages of teachers, bus drivers and other staffing. Pollio said JCPS has made structural changes as well.

"In the 40 years prior, not enough changes have been made in JCPS for the betterment of student outcomes and we are committed to doing that," Pollio said. "We're starting to see the fruits of that labor."

Pollio said the school district has seen a 5% decrease in chronic absenteeism, along with its highest graduation rate ever. JCPS' 4-year graduation rate was 87.7%, an increase from 86.8% last year.

JCPS has also seen a positive trend in postsecondary readiness, according to Pollio.

He said he is willing to make tough decisions in his final months as superintendent to move forward the district's plans.

"I want to make sure the next superintendent is able to come in, hit the ground running and not have to make really hard decisions for the first few months," Pollio said.

As for who becomes the next superintendent, Pollio said it's important to have a passion for the work.

"I would hope no one would say that I wasn't passionate about Jefferson County Public Schools," Pollio said. "I gave everything I had to the success of the students in the district. I think that is the most important thing."

In November, Kentucky voters rejected a proposed constitutional amendment that would allow state funding for non-public schools.

Amendment 2 would have allowed lawmakers to direct public funds to private schools, potentially paving the way for charter school funding and voucher programs. The amendment aimed to allow the state legislature to decide whether to implement programs like charter school funding or private school vouchers, without automatically creating them.

Pollio said all 120 counties in Kentucky voted against the amendment.

"That is a real statement made by the people," Pollio said. "What that says is, 'we love our public schools.'"

A state task force reviewing Jefferson County Public Schools is recommending to continue working through 2025. The Efficient and Effective School Governance Task Force was created during the 2024 legislative session and called for a working group to review the administrative functions and learning outcomes of school districts that have more than 75,000 students. For Kentucky, that student enrollment threshold only qualifies JCPS.

"I hope the continuation of the task force does not discourage candidates applying for this job because I think it is a potential pitfall," Pollio said.

The task force met a total of 10 times, eight times in Frankfort and twice in Louisville.

In that time, testimony was provided by JCPS administrators, JCTA, and other state departments. The task force also heard feedback from JCPS community members during its two meetings in Louisville.

Despite being against the formation of the task force, Pollio said good conversations came out of the meetings. Pollio did admit fault for the school district's busing issues on the first day of school in 2023, when some students didn't return home until 10 p.m.

"I did have major errors on that first day of school. I regret that clearly," Pollio said. But outside of that, we heard some positive things about JCPS."

Pollio said he would like to see JCPS and state legislators to work together on solving issues the district faces. He said he is against the possibility of JCPS being broken up.

"Splitting up the district would be one of the most damaging decisions that has been made in this community especially when it comes to education," Pollio said. "That is something that is not the right decision for the kids in this community."

The task force has said it does not have intentions to split up the district.

JCPS is facing new challenges compared to decades ago. Pollio said nearly 70% of students in JCPS are on free and reduced lunch, which is an increase of 15,000 students from 16 years ago, when he was principal at Jeffersontown High School. Pollio also said thousands of students are homeless.

"I don't say that to make excuses, but the work is really hard," Pollio said. "The fact that I kept my passion for this work and this job each and every day is something I'm very proud of. I'm very proud of the fact that we took big swings at making changes."

Pollio said he believes students assignment in the district has now changed for the better, he's proud of JCPS building new schools, and students have more resources. He said what he'll miss the most as superintendent is being in the schools visiting with students.

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