Louisville’s Valley High School will replace Principal Gary Hurt next school year following a state auditthat concluded he doesn’t have the ability to turn around the school.
Last month, a Kentucky Department of Education team was at Valley High conducting interviews and observing classes. In a survey of 70 staff members, more than half said the thing they liked least about their school was behavioral issues in their classrooms. The audit team says this suggests a lack of clear vision for student behavior.Overall, the state found little or no evidence of improvement in three of five focus areas and, in the end, the team said Hurt doesn’t provide the administrative oversight needed to turn around the school.Valley High has seen gains in some student outcome areas assessed by the state, but this is the second time the education department has requested Hurt be removed.The first was appealed by JCPS.Hurt has defended his job performance at Valley, according to reports by The Courier-Journal, and he will be reassigned to a different position at another school, JCPS officials say.There are eight JCPS principles leaving their schools next year, according to JCPS. Hurt is the only one who has been demoted.Click here to see the special audit.
