Agenda Item
b. Georgia State University Technical Services Agreement (in an amount not to exceed $220,088)
Summary: Presented by: Mrs. Denise Revels, Director of Wrap Around and Support Services, Division of Equity and Student Empowerment
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approves Georgia State University (GSU) to receive $220,088 of the $1,557,4010 grant to support the recruitment and training of the DeKalb County School District certified educators (e.g. special education teachers, general education teachers, certified school-based personnel) or individuals from underrepresented groups and/or from those living in communities served by our school district to alleviate the financial burden of graduate school. This is Year 1 for the fully funded grant project.
Why: DeKalb County School District (DCSD) was awarded the U.S. Department of Education’s (USDOE) School-Based Mental Health Services grant. The DCSD - Recruit-Train-Retain (DCSD-RTR) project has the primary goal of addressing mental health services for PreK - 12th grade students by increasing the overall number of school psychologists from diverse backgrounds. The proposal was written in collaboration with Dr. Tamika La Salle, Associate Professor of School Psychology and Director of the Center for Research on School Safety, School Climate & Classroom Management at Georgia State University and Dr. Catherine Perkins, Coordinator of the Educational Specialist Program in School Psychology and School Psychology Internship Program at Georgia State University.
The primary objectives supporting the goal of this grant include (1) recruiting school psychologists from diverse backgrounds or those who live within the communities served by DCSD; (2) preparing school psychologists to provide mental-health services to a diverse student population within regions across the school district; and (3) retaining school psychologists in DCSD and reducing the ratio of school psychologists to students, particularly those from diverse backgrounds or living in communities served by DCSD.
Details: The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) partnered with Georgia State University (GSU) and was awarded the United States Department of Education’s School-Based Mental Health Services grant. The grant is designed to diversify the field of school-based mental health personnel. The DeKalb County School District - Recruit, Train, and Retain (DCSD-RTR) project will specifically focus on increasing the diversity of future school psychologists to mitigate the environmental, social, and financial barriers that make it difficult for diverse students to enter graduate school and complete their training.
The Technical Services Agreement includes a total of $1,557,410 over 5 years for implementing the grant.
Financial impact: There is no cost to the district to implement the DCSD-RTR grant project. The grant is fully funded by the United States Department of Education’s School-Based Mental Health Services grant. The GSU budget of $220,088 listed in the Technical Services Agreement is based upon one (1) calendar year for 2023 to support the implementation of the grant.
Contact: Dr. Bernetta Jones, Administrator, Division of Equity and Student Empowerment, 678.676.1200
Mrs. Denise Revels, Director of Wrap Around and Support Services, Division of Equity and Student Empowerment, 678.676.2011
Mrs. Kimberly Franklin, Coordinator-III of Psychological Services, Division of Equity and Student Empowerment, 678.676.2222
Effective: March 14, 2023
Status: Approved by General Counsel.