- Jefferson and Madison County school districts propose sharing administrative staff to cut costs.
- Parents express concerns about the impact on special education services.
- Watch the video to learn how staff members' time will be divided between the two districts.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
In two neighboring school districts, Jefferson and Madison counties, leaders want to share a new way to manage limited resources.
“We get oftentimes just told, ‘Hey, this is what you have to work with. Deal with it.’ And it’s frustrating. It’s frustrating,” Madison County parent Joslyn Richards said.
I’m Lentheus Chaney in the Madison neighborhood. I'm speaking with a parent who says special education students could pay the price for the change.
Madison and Jefferson County superintendents propose a new model: sharing key administrative positions between the two districts.
That includes the exceptional student education director, the human resources director, and the transportation director.
All would work across both counties.
The shared staff would split time based on how much each district contributes.
According to the proposal, Madison would pay 60% of the cost and receive 60% of each employee’s time. Jefferson would pay 40% and receive 40%.
It’s a logistical pivot aimed at doing more with less, but the plan is drawing concern from families.
Madison County parent Joslyn Richards has a 7-year-old son in the exceptional student education program.
She says sharing leadership—especially in ESE—feels like a step backward in a system already stretched thin.
“Now you’re going to take what little focus, time, and attention and boots on the ground that we have here already and split it, you know, several days a week to a whole other district, and the saving the money—I don’t, I don’t quite understand,” Richards said.
Richards says her son’s classroom saw a revolving door of teachers and aides last year.
She believes the problem isn’t a lack of effort, but a lack of structure and support.
“We need more support, more consistency, educators that want to be in this ESC program,” Richards said.
The Madison County School Board approved the staffing partnership in a close 3–2 vote earlier this month.
Jefferson County’s board is expected to vote on the plan June 23.
I contacted both superintendents for comment. As of Wednesday afternoon, neither had responded.
If Jefferson County signs on, shared leadership would begin this fall.
In Madison, I’m Lentheus Chaney, ABC27.
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