Dr. Devon Horton
Superintendent of Schools
Mr. Diijon DaCosta Sr.
District 6 (Board Chair)
Mrs. Deirdre P. Pierce
District 3 (Vice Chair)
Mrs. Anna Hill
District 1
Mrs. Whitney McGinniss
District 2
Ms. Allyson Gevertz
District 4
Mrs. Vickie B. Turner
District 5
Dr. Joyce Morley
District 7
Dear DeKalb County Community Members,
As your new Superintendent of the DeKalb County School District, I am honored to
have the opportunity to serve you and your children. Over the years, I have had the
privilege of working with various school districts across the country, but I must
confess that there is something distinctive about the DeKalb County community. I am
impressed by the level of commitment to academic excellence, the passion for
student success, and the unwavering support for public education.
I want to assure you that my top priority is to maintain these fundamental values
while also improving and strengthening our educational system. I understand that we
are navigating unprecedented times, and this calls for informed and innovative
leadership. For this reason, I will be working tirelessly to ensure that our students
receive the best possible education in a safe and welcoming environment.
My vision for the DeKalb County School District includes a commitment to equity and
inclusion in every aspect of our work. I believe that all students should have access to
high-quality education regardless of their background or socioeconomic status.
Therefore, I will prioritize initiatives aimed at closing the achievement gap, promoting
diversity and cultural awareness, and providing resources to underserved
communities.
In addition to our students, I will be partnering with parents, educators, and
community leaders to make our schools more responsive to the needs of the
community. This includes promoting parental engagement, supporting teacher
development, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders.
I look forward to listening to your ideas, concerns, and feedback as we work together
to build a brighter future for our students. Please do not hesitate to contact me to
share your thoughts or to learn more about our plans and strategies for the upcoming
school year. Together, we can create a DeKalb County School District that is the
flagship district of the nation.
Sincerely,
Devon Q. Horton Ed.D.
Devon Q. Horton Ed.D.
Superintendent, DeKalb County School District
BOARD AND SUPERINTENDENT ACTIVITIES
Schedule meeting with the Board Chair to plan an entry and post 90-day retreat.
Meet with each Board member individually to better understand their observation of where we
are currently and recommendations for next steps.
Review engagement plan and schedule any joint engagement opportunities.
Review current policies and prepare to discuss any upcoming revisions.
Initiate the strategic planning process.
Establish communication and evaluation protocol.
Provide Board with monthly progress updates on the entry plan activities.
PRELIMINARY INDICATORS OF SUCCESS
Board and superintendent retreat.
Build out Board agreement.
Feedback from engagement activities.
Communication and evaluation protocol.
Vision: to inspire our community of learners
to achieve educational excellence.
Mission: to ensure student success, leading to
higher education, work, and lifelong learning.
Motto: Inspire. Achieve. Excel.
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Personal Belief:
"Students do not fail, it’s the systems that
we create that fail students”
Core Values:
Humanization:
Humanization is a core value for our school district that emphasizes the importance of
treating all individuals with dignity, respect, and compassion. We recognize that every
student, teacher, staff member, and community member is unique and has their own needs,
strengths, and challenges. It promotes a culture of empathy, inclusion, and belonging, where
everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to thrive. It fosters authentic connections,
meaningful relationships, and a sense of shared responsibility for the well-being of all.
Inspire:
We believe that inspiration is a powerful force for positive change, and we are committed to
fostering an environment that inspires our students, faculty, and staff to reach their full
potential. We strive to inspire creativity, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning in all
members of our community, and we celebrate the achievements and contributions of those
who inspire others to greatness.
Righteousness:
Righteousness refers to the quality of being morally right and just here in DeKalb. As a core
value in our school district, righteousness would emphasize the importance of ethical
behavior and personal responsibility for making decisions that benefit the greater good. We
will encourage students and staff to act with integrity, honesty, and fairness, while promoting
respect for diversity and empathy for others.
Excellence:
Excellence is the goal and standard for our district, encapsulating the drive towards achieving
the highest quality in everything we do. From the education we provide to the relationships
we build, we are committed to pursuing excellence as we strive to realize our vision for
success. It is our unwavering dedication to excellence that sets us apart and distinguishes us
as a community of learners and achievers.
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Pre-entry
The transition team will consist of individuals who possess a variety of skills and experiences
that align with the goals of the entry plan. The team may include members from the DCSD
Board, district and school leaders, community partners, and other stakeholders. The team will
work together to gather information about the district and its surrounding community,
including demographics, school and district data, accomplishments and challenges, and
current initiatives.
The superintendent will also work closely with the DCSD Board to gain insight into their
priorities and vision for the district. This will include attending Board meetings, reviewing
policies and initiatives, and engaging in conversations with individual Board members.
To prepare for the official start date, the superintendent will dedicate non-work hours to
reviewing important documents related to the district, including the strategic plan, budget,
and curriculum. Additionally, the superintendent will engage in a political mapping exercise to
identify key stakeholders in the community and schedule introductory meetings with them.
Finally, I will develop a comprehensive communication plan to introduce themselves to the
DCSD community and generate excitement for upcoming listening and learning activities. This
may include social media posts, press releases, and community events. By engaging in these
pre-entry activities, the we can ensure a smooth transition and establish a strong foundation
for my leadership in the district.
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Entry Plan and Purpose:
The purpose of the 90-day Engage
Entry plan is a crucial roadmap
for me to get acquainted with
the district's culture, strengths,
and challenges. The plan helps
me to connect our vision,
mission, and goals. It also
serves as a tool for building Explore
relationships with various
stakeholders, such as students,
staff, parents, and community
members. Additionally, the
4 E's
plan provides an opportunity
to assess the current state of
the district, identify areas of
strength and areas that need
Empower
improvement, and develop
strategies to celebrate or
address them. Ultimately, the
Superintendent 90-day Entry
plan aims to set a solid
foundation for my leadership Execute
and success in the DeKalb
County School District.
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ENGAGE
As a new Superintendent, engaging the district community within the first 30 days is essential for
building a strong relationship with stakeholders. Here are some steps I can take to foster community
engagement. Meet with key stakeholders: I will schedule meetings with key stakeholders such as
school board members, principals, staff, parents, and community leaders. These meetings will allow
me to introduce myself, listen to their concerns and ideas, and understand the district's culture and
priorities. Host meet-and-greet events: I will organize informal events where I can meet with parents,
students, and community members in a relaxed setting. These events can be held at local schools,
community centers, or parks, and will provide an opportunity for people to get to know me and ask
questions.
EXPLORE
I will design and distribute surveys to gather feedback from parents, students, and staff about their
experience in the district. The results of these surveys will help identify strengths and areas for
improvement and guide my decision-making process. I will attend community events such as sports
games, concerts, and other cultural events to show my support for the district and connect with
families and community members.
EMPOWER
I will use social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to share updates, news, and
events with the district community. Social media is an excellent tool to engage with a large audience
and promote transparency and open communication. I will partner with local businesses and
organizations to create mutually beneficial partnerships that support the district's mission and goals.
This will help to build relationships with the community and show that the district is committed to
working in partnership with them.
EXECUTE
As the new Superintendent of the DeKalb County School District, I have built this 90 day entry plan
to improve the quality of transition. I have met with and will continue to meet with our Board,
teachers, leaders, staff, parents, community members and students to gain insights into the
strengths and challenges of the district. I will establish an accountability system to monitor
progress. We will improve communication and transparency with stakeholders, implement
innovative teaching methods, and increase funding for teacher development. By the end of the 90
days, we will have made significant progress toward our goal of building a transformational plan
to accelerate Dekalb County School District into a National model district.
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Engage (Pre-work)
Look, Listen and Learn:
This phase is best considered a fact gathering time period.
It is important to gather as much information about how
the district works as possible, so that informed decisions
about what works and what does not work can be made.
The idea is to ensure all actions taken are in the best
interest of the district and are designed to increase student
achievement and operational efficiency. The first phase will
last approximately 30 days, but I will continue to look, listen
and learn. (Using the Keep- Stop & Start protocol)
Meet with DeKalb County School Board members,
school leaders and Interview internal and external
stakeholders to gain a better understanding of the
district’s strengths and weaknesses.
Complete a review of internal documents and
possibly review audits of Facilities, Finance
Department, Curriculum Department, Transportation
and Personnel.
Meet with the the Organization of DeKalb Educators.
Meet with cohorts of students, staff and parents from
each region.
Schedule meetings with key community members
and organizations, business owners, university
partners, faith leaders and all city government
officials.
Establish an effective working relationship with all staff and the Board.
Establish and communicate expectations for Meet with Board members to determine how the Board
effective Board working relationships with envisions working in partnership with executive staff.
special attention to the development of Establish a process, structure, timeline and metric
shared values, beliefs, organizational system to measure and monitor strategic plan success
structure, areas of improvement, and system improvements.
professional development and accountability Establish regular meeting times for reviewing and
criteria. constructing board agendas, agenda review processes
Work to build positive relationships with the and productivity of Board Meetings.
Board by instituting bi weekly check-ins with Visit various community, religious and civic
all board members and weekly meetings organizations and functions.
with Board Chair and Vice chair
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Engage
Determine how district-wide systems contribute equitably to student
achievement and ensure college/career readiness.
Meet with district personnel to obtain an overview of areas of responsibility, significant or potential
problems in each area of responsibility and necessary decisions to be made in 30 days, 65 days and 100
days.
Meet with district personnel, stakeholders and the community to gather accurate situational analysis
data to understand the DeKalb County School District's structural capabilities and limitations.
Assess data to understand the needs of schools, leaders, teachers, students and gaps in services
provided to meet those needs.
Establish criteria for increased student achievement and ensuring college and career readiness.
Develop whole child priorities for creating a safe, trauma informed, healthy and culturally responsive
atmosphere.
Collaborate with the DCSD instructional leadership team to discuss district-wide instructional systems
for achievement data, rigor, curriculum alignment, professional development, progress monitoring and
instructional feedback/coaching expectations.
Collaborate with the School Board and Finance team to review the following: accounting systems,
contracts, management of grants, revenues, spending, fiscal stability, procurement procedures and
protocols.
Review how the district creates an environment where staff members thrive by showing courtesy,
dignity, respect, professionalism and humanization,
Review opportunities for staff to grow and develop by offering individualized professional development.
Review how DCSD recruits and retains top talent throughout the city, state and nation.
Conduct an inventory of technology to assess alignment to curriculum and 21st century learning
standards.
Gather data on students and staff mindsets of the work ahead.
Establish an effective working
relationship with all staff and board.
Present 90-day plan and obtain feedback.
Create collective goals and agree on criteria for
assessing achievement of those goals.
Establish methods for increasing trust,
transparency, communication and mechanisms for
cultivating mutual growth.
Review problem solving structures. (Situational
analysis)
Complete an overview of organizational structures
and the creation of the RACI chart that clearly lays
out whose responsible, accountable, consulted, and
Informed.
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Explore (Days 1 to 30)
1. Collect data on student performance, including standardized test scores, graduation rates, college
acceptance rates, and attendance rates. This data should be disaggregated by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic
status, language proficiency, exceptional needs, and other key characteristics.
2. Analyze the data to determine whether there are any disparities in student outcomes across different
groups. Use this information to identify areas that may require additional support and resources.
3. Use the data to determine how funds and resources should be allocated to ensure equitable outcomes for
all students. Consider using evidence-based practices that have been shown to improve student
achievement.
4. Analyze how investments in different programs and interventions have impacted student achievement and
whether they have achieved their intended goals.
5. Based on the analysis, identify any areas where the budget allocation methodologies can be improved to
better support student outcomes.
6. Use the data and analysis to develop credible forecasts and multi-year budgets under various "if/then"
scenarios with a focus on sustainability.
7. Develop policies and practices to ensure equity in spend with small and minority-owned business
enterprises.
8. Develop a plan to socialize district practices regarding small business enterprises to ensure that all
stakeholders are aware of the policies and procedures in place.
9. Develop a dashboard of baseline performance data to track progress over time and provide regular updates
to stakeholders.
10. Provide semi-annual reports of district activity to keep stakeholders informed of progress and identify areas
for improvement
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Internal Evaluation: Assessing Student Performance
and Infrastructure
Evaluation of Student Performance
To ensure equity in education outcomes, we will conduct an internal evaluation of student performance data
across the DeKalb County School District. The evaluation will include disaggregated data by race/ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, language proficiency, exceptional needs, and other key characteristics. This information
will guide us in determining funding, resource allocation, and next steps.
Targeted Data
Our evaluation will include data on literacy, numeracy, and other core subjects, socioeconomic factors, mobility,
attendance, kindergarten readiness, English Learner reclassification rates, post-secondary readiness,
graduation and dropout rates, A-G “C” or better on-track rates, grades, metrics for social-emotional learning,
crime incidents by neighborhood, and family or caretaker level of educational attainment.
Assessing Infrastructure for College and Career Readiness
We will evaluate the district's infrastructure to support students' post-secondary success. Our evaluation will
examine counselor ratios, including academic and college counselors, to ensure that all high school students
receive help in developing a personalized post-secondary success plan. We will also review school calendars
and dates of available student outcome data to identify opportunities to hold regular district-level data
discussions with principals and executive staff. Additionally, we will make recommendations to improve the
Individualized Graduation Plan and Career Pathway requirement for high school students.
Broad Fiscal Analysis
We will conduct a comprehensive fiscal review of the district's funding conditions, practices, and challenges.
Our objective is to identify equitable and efficient ways of using district funding to drive student achievement
and wellbeing. This analysis will include an assessment of fiscal resources and staff allocation to support
schools. We will also provide a detailed report on the difference between budgeted and spent dollars to ensure
effective use and better decision-making. This report will help us understand how investments improve student
achievement, improve budget allocation methodologies, and ensure equity across the DeKalb County School
District in terms of spending with small and minority-owned business enterprises. We will create a dashboard
of baseline performance data and provide a semi-annual report of district activity.
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Internal Evaluation: Environmental Safety and
Capital Improvement
Assessment of Environmental Liabilities
We will conduct a comprehensive analysis of potential environmental dangers in and around our school
communities. Our plan is to establish the “Know Your Air Network,” which is a sensor network in schools to
provide real-time air quality data for employees, students, parents, and the entire community. We will also
conduct surveys to identify environmental hazards in or near schools and develop action plans for the highest
priority findings.
Ensuring Safe Passages to and from School
To ensure the physical and emotional safety of our students, we will explore and analyze the challenges that
students face when coming to and from school. We will collaborate with community-based organizations to
ensure students have safe routes to and from school. We will identify community needs and respond
accordingly.
Capital Improvement Plan
Our focus is to improve district facilities to better serve students, families, and employees. We will assess the
effectiveness of current investments, facilities, and assets and identify opportunities to optimize and sustain
them. Our plan includes the development of a four-year "here and now" plan that looks at overall capital
improvement needs, funding options, and potential partnerships to support these efforts.
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Empower (Days 31 to 60)
As I enter into my new role as Superintendent in the DeKalb County School District, I know that a strong
communication plan is essential. I’ll make it my priority to establish open and transparent channels of
communication with all stakeholders, including board, teachers, parents, students, and community
members. By listening to their concerns and ideas, we will be able to develop a shared vision for the
district and work collaboratively towards achieving our goals. With effective communication, we will
build trust, foster engagement, and create positive change in the lives of our students.
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Execute (Days 61 and Beyond)
STRATEGY MAP
The Strategy Map is a strategic communications tool in the form of a diagram that is used to capture
and communicate how the Strategic Goal Areas are being pursued by the DeKalb County School
District. The Strategy Map links the Strategic Goal Areas and Performance Objectives in cause and
effect relationships with each other. Utilizing the Strategy Map, the alignment among divisions and
schools is established and effective implementation of the DeKalb County School District Strategic
Plan is realized.
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DeKalb County School District
in Action
® Motion Towards Equity
0 Improved Instructional Core
e Relevant and Rigorous Course of Study
Q
e
Attract and Retain High Quality Staff
Commitment to Accountability
4I Learning Environments that Supports Student Success
ee Establish Expected Targets Driven by Results
Sound Fiscal Stewardship
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The MIRACLES framework is a district improvement plan strategy that has been designed to drive action for the
strategic plan movement. This framework has a comprehensive approach to ensure that all students receive
equitable and high-quality education. This framework focuses on eight key tenets. To achieve success, districts
must build systems of accountability that leads to outcomes for continuous improvement. This work has to be
transpired in unison to support each other, and the MIRACLES framework provides a systematic and cohesive
approach to make this possible.
Motion Toward Equity: Culture of collaboration and trust that allows for staff and community
engagement to increase student success for ALL students regardless of social economic, race,
gender and or ability. (SG 2: Stakeholder engagement and communication) ; (SG 4: Culture and
Climate)
Objectives:
Adoption of Equity Taxonomy: Physical Integration- Social and emotional Engagement-
Opportunity to Learn- Instructional excellence- Engaged and inspired learners
Create a community of collaboration focused on ALL students while prioritizing our marginalized
students and families
Engage parents and community partners using Dr. Karen Mapp "Dual Capacity Building Framework"
Establish and Coordinate Community Wrap Around Services
Demonstrating Cultural Competence in Personal, Professional Behaviors, and Organizational Policies
and Practices
Review of districts process to review policies for inequities
Improved Instructional Core: Access to grade-level, State Standards aligned tasks for Tier 1
instruction that are rigorous and improve learning for ALL Learners. (SG 1: Student success
with Equity and Access)
Objectives:
Adoption of Equity Taxonomy: Physical Integration- Social and emotional Engagement- Opportunity to
Learn- Instructional excellence- Engaged and inspired learners
Targeted professional learning that ensures educators' development in instructional strategies to
support ALL students
Deliberate use of district wide adopted teaching Framework and implementation of the DCSD way as it
relates to improving the Instructional Core
Ensure ALL curricular resources are aligned to rigorous, college and career standards
Establish common instructional language integrating effective practices implemented by high-
performing schools to inform district-level support
Review of current Early Childhood learning and opportunities for expansion
Use data and evidence to evaluate what is working and not working to improve instructional outcomes
for students
Work with both local and Metro Atlanta businesses to partner with our amazing CATE programs
to build Academies of DCSD.
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Relevant and Rigorous Course of Study: Lead system-wide
professional learning and implementation support of
cognitively rigorous and culturally responsive instructional
practices. (SG 1: Student success with Equity and Access)
Objectives:
Review and enhance in school tutoring
program at all Hope schools
Standards-based, college and career prep
curriculum
Analyze and adopt SIOP training(Strategies for
English Language Learners)
Aligned assessment system that identifies student
academic needs
Ensuring the DCSD Professional Development
Framework is effective & aligned to Professional
Learning Standards
Viable SPED best practices and inclusive supports
to engage ALL learners
A comprehensive quality designed written English
Learner Master Plan
Organize a series of meetings with local
community and four year colleges to design
programs for students to complete high school
while also obtaining a free associates degree
Attract and Retain High Quality Staff: Create structures and processes to support consistent
and effective two-way communication with staff about district-level decisions and actions. (SG
3: Staff effectiveness)
Objectives:
Utilizing a systematic structure to communicate district initiatives to ALL stakeholder groups
Create an environment where staff members are valued
Differentiated Professional Development Opportunities to support the growth and development of ALL
staff
Strategically recruit and retain diverse top talent throughout the district and state as well as nationally.
Organizational structure built to best support student achievement with clear lines of Chain of
Command
Work with the Organization of DeKalb Educators and the board to adopt either TURN or
workforce collaboration framework
Review all Higher ed relationships in order to form the needed partnerships for educator
advancements for ALL staff
Succession planning through Aspiring leaders prep program, Future Leaders and DCSD Teacher
prep program
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Commitment to Accountability: Systemic practices with clearly defined mechanisms to measure
impact or effectiveness. (SG 2: Stakeholder engagement and communication) (SG 5: Organizational
excellence
Objectives:
Strong leadership with high-functioning teams
Launch district wide Curriculum audit
Review and assess current review of Board updates on Strategic plan priorities and plan for new
one
Build out of critical Equity progress indicators for multi year data reviews
Designing of DCSD improvement plan as well as review school work plans
Develop district wide Continuous Improvement plan that will include reviewing student data and
walking through schools with an intentional priority
Fully developed Communications plan for internal and external best practices in transparency,
informational and celebration
Review and design Standard Operations Procedures to ensure reliability, efficiency, and
consistency for lifting quality standards in regular work activities around the following areas:
Finance, Procurement, Technology, school safety and security and Onboarding
Design and launch annual Legal conference for all district leaders and central office staff
Review policy on Student assignment and make plans to begin the work
Well established systems to help develop and maintain high quality schools
Quality written Policies that are reviewed often.
Create viable Practices that align with Policies
Systems and Structures will be guided by our district Policies and Practice guidelines.
Learning Environments that support Student Success: Lead system-wide professional learning
and implementation support of restorative practices to create environments that are
intellectually, physically and socially safe for learning. (SG 4: Culture and Climate)
Objectives:
Shared understanding of the interconnectedness of Social emotional learning, Restorative Practices &
Multiple tiers of Support
Safe and orderly schools with the increased implementation for PBIS
Adoption of Restorative practices district wide
Professional development for all Classified staff in de-escalation and relationship training
Analyze and possibly adoption of Everyday labs to support Regions with attendance concerns
Culture and Climate plan to help schools create an environment where every stakeholder is set up to
achieve their goals
Trauma and Bullying prevention program to support all students including LGBTQ
Review current status of district wide safety plan
Review current transportation structures and review parental navigation options
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Establish Expected Targets Driven by Results: Ask students and families directly
about their goals and school experiences to inform ongoing strategy development,
and adjust as appropriate.
Objectives:
Track the progress of equity initiatives from the voice of students
Aggressive, transparent goals for schools, teams, and individuals
Performance management systems with cycles of inquiry: Reality checks, Collaborative
Calibration visits and Learning walks
Upgrade and develop a more comprehensive district wide data dashboard. (by district, grade level and
school)
Creation of Equity Progress Indicators (Create a culture of public practice)
Sound Fiscal Stewardship: Engage in long-term financial planning to ensure we have the necessary
funding for our priorities on the instructional core (SG 5: Organizational excellence; (SG 6: Facilities)
Objectives:
Audit to ensure that resources support district priorities
Secure Additional Funding sources
Work to build and support the repairing of the school facilities
according to the approval of 700 million
Strong accounting system where funding is easily identified
Reliable management of grants
Continued PD on spending
Complete a deeper analysis of current Master facility plans
High level procurement procedures and protocols
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