Taylor Everett ran unopposed and will represent District 7 on the board. His wife was a teacher and assistant in JCPS for 10 years and his daughter is a sophomore attending Ballard High School. He is currently the director of government services for the consulting agency Eight Eleven Group.

2 new board members join Jefferson County Board of Education for first time following election

Taylor Everett has a daughter who attends Ballard High School.

2 new board members to join Jefferson County Board of Education ...

Taylor Everett currently works as the director of government services for the consulting agency Eight Eleven Group.

Taylor currently works as the director of government services for the consulting agency Eight Eleven Group.

Senate Bill 4, which passed and took effect in 2026, required the Jefferson County Board of Education (JCBE) to restructure its seven-member board into five newly established district and at-large positions. To resolve residency overlaps, state law called for members residing in the same new district to draw lots to determine representation. During the JCBE work session on May 12, 2026, board members in Districts 1, 3, and 4 drew lots to determine the representative for each district.

District 1: Tricia Lister
District 2: Corrie Shull (Board Chair)
District 3: Taylor Everett
District 4: Trevin Bass
District 5: Gail Logan Strange
At-Large Member: Linda Duncan
At-Large Member: Keith Look

Board of Education | Jefferson County Public Schools

Everett ran as an Independent for Louisville Mayor in the 2022 election, taking less than 600 votes.

After a rocky year, ten people vie for spots on JCPS’ school board

Taylor currently serves on the Jefferson County Board of Education, representing District 3. He previously ran as an Independent for Louisville mayor in 2022, receiving fewer than 600 votes.

Two JCPS school board candidates filed in wrong districts

2026 Kentucky General Election

Start Times

We must find a way to do away with the 9:40 start time.

Home (Everett for JCPS)

Wants to end the district's 9:40 school start time.

- Wants to end the district's 9:40 school start time.

Access to Education

Screen addiction and digital distractions have no place in our classrooms. I fought hard to implement the comprehensive JCPS cell phone ban to protect student mental health, reduce classroom disruptions, and support our educators. By getting phones out of classrooms, we have given teachers the freedom to teach and students the environment to focus on learning.

Technology

We must stay at the forefront of AI to equip our students with the tools for tomorrow. At the same time we must always be evaluating if we have become too reliant on tech and if it is truly helping.

Academic Accountability

We must demand unwavering academic excellence from all stakeholders, measuring and evaluating classroom outcomes transparently using multiple forms of objective data.

Implemented a districtwide cell phone ban to reduce classroom disruptions, support educators, and help students focus on learning.

Supports preparing students to use artificial intelligence while evaluating whether technology reliance benefits learning.

Advocates for transparent evaluation of classroom outcomes using multiple forms of objective data.

- Implemented a districtwide cell phone ban to reduce classroom disruptions, support educators, and help students focus on learning.
- Supports preparing students to use artificial intelligence while evaluating whether technology reliance benefits learning.
- Advocates for transparent evaluation of classroom outcomes using multiple forms of objective data.

School Curriculum

Fiscal Discipline & ROI

Taxpayer dollars belong in the classroom, not in the pockets of expensive outside firms. I treat your tax dollars with strict fiduciary responsibility. By slashing bloated outside consulting contracts and pivoting the board toward a rigid Return on Investment (ROI) model for all expenditures, we cut administrative waste and redirected vital resources directly toward solving front-line classroom staffing shortages.

Communication/ Volunteers

JCPS needs to drastically improve district-wide communication, actively seeking out direct community feedback while streamlining the onboarding pipeline for school volunteers."

On Monday, Spectrum News spoke to Everett about his decision to vote against the restructuring. “The frustrating part was that I kept asking for an easy-to-understand, simplified list showing where cuts were coming from—school-based versus central office—and that couldn’t be produced. I still haven’t gotten it yet, and that’s why I voted the way I did,” Everett said.

Board member says JCPS restructuring vote lacked answers

Everett said he understands the community’s frustration with how the budgeting process has unfolded and with comments former Superintendent Marty Pollio made less than a year ago about not having to cut staff.

“That comment about not having to cut people shouldn’t have been made because we did. There are people who are losing their jobs from this,” Everett said. “I have learned that communication matters a lot, and we should not be promising numbers or jobs until we have done the proper analysis.”

Balanced Budget

The district should implement a policy to require a balanced budget.

Said he redirected resources from outside consulting contracts to address front-line classroom staffing shortages through return-on-investment budget reviews.

Calls for improved district communication, direct community feedback, and a streamlined process for onboarding school volunteers.

Voted against the central-office restructuring plan because the district had not provided a clear accounting of school-based and central-office cuts.

Said the district should not promise staffing levels or budget figures before completing analysis.

Supports requiring the district to adopt a balanced budget policy.

- Said he redirected resources from outside consulting contracts to address front-line classroom staffing shortages through return-on-investment budget reviews.
- Calls for improved district communication, direct community feedback, and a streamlined process for onboarding school volunteers.
- Voted against the central-office restructuring plan because the district had not provided a clear accounting of school-based and central-office cuts.
- Said the district should not promise staffing levels or budget figures before completing analysis.
- Supports requiring the district to adopt a balanced budget policy.

School Facilities & Resources

Behavior

We must implement common sense policies to make sure our staff feel safe while supporting those kids that need it the most.

Calls for policies that help staff feel safe while supporting students with greater needs.

- Calls for policies that help staff feel safe while supporting students with greater needs.

Student Wellbeing

Issues

Pay

Our teachers and support staff deserve competitive compensation that reflects the true difficulty of their roles while keeping pace with inflation.

Staffing

Every classroom must be staffed by a full-time, certified teacher—not a temporary, long-term substitute.

Supports competitive compensation for teachers and support staff that reflects job demands and keeps pace with inflation.

Supports staffing every classroom with a full-time certified teacher rather than a long-term substitute.

- Supports competitive compensation for teachers and support staff that reflects job demands and keeps pace with inflation.
- Supports staffing every classroom with a full-time certified teacher rather than a long-term substitute.

Teachers

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Twitter

Taylor Everett

- Supports requiring the district to adopt a balanced budget policy.

Mauricio Mendez

Buket Urgen

Gay P. Adelmann

Neil Seftor

Veda Pendleton

- Board of education members work as a team to lead the school district by setting policy, providing resources, and overseeing employees. 
- The board of education is responsible for the local school budget. It reviews expenditures, allocates funds, and approves facility plans. The board may levy taxes if deemed necessary.
- The board of education hires and directly supervises the district superintendent.
- School board of education numbers are elected in staggered even-numbered years through a nonpartisan election and serve four-year terms. Most boards in Kentucky consist of five members. 
- Independent school districts elect board members at large; county school districts elect board members from divisions. 
- School board members do not receive a salary. They may be compensated for costs associated with state-mandated activities. 

Governs the local public school system and allocates the education budget. 