Agenda Item
a. Safety & Discipline Updates
Summary: Presented by: Mr. Elijah Palmer, Chief of Staff, Chief of Staff Division,
Kishia K. Towns, Ph.D., Chief of Wrap Around Services, Division of Wrap Around Services
THE DIVISION OF THE CHIEF OF STAFF
THE DIVISION OF WRAP AROUND SERVICES
DeKalb County School District
Board of Education Retreat
May 1, 2025
Evolv & Centegix
Mr. Elijah Palmer, Chief of Staff
EVOLV Weapons Detector Data SY24-25
• Guns – 10 Total
• Two handguns never entered school buildings, subjects arrested outside of school/off campus.
• Four handguns brought on campus by non-students, one by visitor, two in staff vehicles and one in staff bag.
• Two handguns recovered in the building after an improper staff search after an EVOLV alert.
• One handgun brought in through side door during student transition.
• One handgun detained at entrance after Evolv alert and proper search by staff.
Summation
• Four handguns brought in by non-students.
• Two handguns recovered outside schools.
• One stopped by EVOLV.
• Three missed due to user error
DCSD Weapons (EVOLV)
2022-2023(Pre 2023-2024 (EVOLV 2024-2025 (EVOLV
EVOLV) Year 1) Year 2)
22 Guns 4 Guns 10 Guns
105 Weapons 31 Weapons 29 Weapons
Centegix Data for SY24-25
Alert Types
• Staff Alert - 1353 (Student conduct, ill student, etc...)
• Drill Full Lockdown( Level 3) – 9
• Severe Weather – (Tornado )– 1
• Drill Interior Lockdown – (Level 2) – 5
• Full Lockdown – (Level 3) – 63 (Police Activity in the area, possible outside threat to school)
• All Clear – 22
• Interior Lockdown –(Level 2) – 7 (Police activity, low likelihood of threat to school)
• Drill Severe Weather – Tornado -1
Total: 1461
DCSD Centegix Data (Year 1 vs Year 2)
2023-2024 (Year 1) 2024-2025 (Year 2)
2504 Staff Alerts 1200 Staff Alerts
315 Full Lockdowns (Level 3) 65 Full Lockdowns (Level 3)
53 Drill Lockdowns 8 Drill Lockdowns
6 Severe Weather (Tornado) 1 Severe Weather (Tornado
12 Severe Weather (Drill 1 Severe Weather (Drill)
Student Discipline
Dr. Kishia K. Towns, Chief of Wrap Around Services
Discipline Trends: Suspension Data (SY 2024-2025)
• In-School Suspension (ISS) incidents decreased by 15%.
• Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) incidents decreased by 28%.
• Combined ISS and OSS incidents decreased by 24% overall.
1,657 less students were suspended in 24-25 SY
Decrease of 5,099 suspensions in 24-25 SY
These reductions reflect the district’s continued commitment to promoting
positive student behavior, implementing restorative practices, and providing
proactive support interventions.
Behavioral Improvement: District Due Process Hearings
(DDPH)
• Overall, 37% decrease in District Due Process Hearings (DDPH) during the 2024–2025
school year (510) compared to the 2023–2024 (806) school year. (296 less DDPH)
This significant reduction reflects the district’s proactive efforts to address student behavior
through early intervention, restorative practices, and enhanced support systems.
Behavioral Improvement:
“Bullying Stops Here!” Campaign Impact
• 34% decrease in state-reported bullying incidents from 2022 to 2024.
• 22-23 SY (635); 23-24 SY (419)
• 73% overall decrease in bullying incidents since 2011-2012.
• 11-12 SY (1,548 incidents)
• 23-24 SY (419 incidents) - Reduction of 1,129 incidents
• Bullying Prevention and Awareness training provided to over 1,000 staff
members, including bus drivers, bus monitors, nurses, psychologists, and social
workers since August 2024.
This significant progress demonstrates the district’s commitment to creating safer,
more supportive environments for all students.
Behavioral Support: Verbal De-Escalation Training Progress
• Over 300 district staff members trained since August 2024.
• 29 District Support Staff (Culture & Climate Coordinators, Social Workers, and PBIS
District Coaches) trained as district trainers since January 2025.
• Up to 75 Assistant Principals are scheduled to complete Verbal De-Escalation
Trainer certification by June 30, 2025.
• Goal: To have 100 new Verbal De-Escalation Trainings by June 30, 2025.
This comprehensive training initiative equips schools with the tools to effectively
manage challenging behaviors, promote positive school climates, and reduce
disciplinary incidents.
Behavioral Support: Restorative Practices Training Progress
• 300+ staff members trained in Restorative Practices Circles.
• 85 District Support Staff trained as Restorative Practices Circle Trainers.
• 30 District Support Staff trained as Facilitating Restorative Conferences Trainers
• 12 additional District Support Staff will be trained as Restorative Practices Circle
Trainers by June 30, 2025
These training efforts strengthen the district’s commitment to building positive
relationships, resolving conflict constructively, and reducing disciplinary incidents
through restorative approaches.
Disconnect to Reconnect: Academic & Behavior Benefits
• Academic Focus: Increased student engagement, fewer disruptions, and more
focused instruction without mobile devices.
• Behavioral Improvements: Reduced technology misuse, fewer peer conflicts,
and fewer discipline referrals.
• Positive School Climate: Calmer environments, stronger student connections,
and improved social engagement in hallway and cafeteria behavior
The Disconnect to Reconnect initiative demonstrated a strong, positive impact on academic engagement,
student behavior, and school culture. With continued monitoring, refinement, and stakeholder collaboration,
this initiative has the potential to sustain and deepen its positive effects in future academic years.
Social-Emotional Support: SAFE Centers Impact
• 133 student groups convened through SAFE Centers focused on:
• Conflict resolution
• Self-esteem building
• Emotional regulation
• Communication skill (Helping students avoid more serious school consequences)
• 171 referrals were made for individual mental health services, resulting in a decrease in
acting out behaviors at school.
• 351 student conferences were conducted by SAFE Center Social Work Liaisons to provide
targeted social-emotional support.
Attendance Support: EveryDay Labs Impact
In Horizon Schools fully implementing EveryDay Labs:
• 23% of chronically absent students improved to nonchronically absent status.
• 51% of students improved their attendance rate after receiving EveryDay
Labs Chronic Absence Nudges.*
• 80% of at-risk students did not become chronically absent.
* Data includes 6,729 students whose families received at least one text
message and mail nudge.
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
(PBIS)
Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
(PBIS)
• 1 PBIS Coordinator
• 7 PBIS District Coaches
• 58 PBIS Schools
• 2 PBIS Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNET)
Centers
PBIS MIRACLES Priority
As of April 1, 2025, the Division of Wrap Around Services and Department of Student Relations PBIS
District Team met our DCSD PBIS MIRACLE Priority Goal of increasing the number of combined PBIS
schools and GNET centers from 50 to 60 by June 2025. This includes forty-eight PBIS schools and two
GNET centers. Our ten new Cohort 9 schools successfully completed MTSS Tier I Readiness Training and
PBIS Training, with 70 Leadership Team Members participating.
Austin Elementary School Oak Grove Elementary School
Bethune Middle School Rock Chapel Elementary School
Chesnut Elementary School Snapfinger Elementary School
Dunwoody Elementary School Stephenson Middle School
Kingsley Elementary School Stone Mountain High School
PBIS Impact
GaDOE DCSD PBIS State Recognition Outcome Data School Climate Star Rating Outcome Data
2022-2023 vs. 2023-2024 School Years 2022-2023 vs. 2023-2024 School Years
The number of schools implementing Positive Behavioral During the 2022-2023 school year 38% (22/57) of DCSD
Interventions and Supports have had positive gains in State schools that received a School Climate Star Rating of 4 or
Level Recognition higher were PBIS schools.
o From the 22-23 school to the 23-24 school year, schools During the 2023-2024 school year 52% (25/48) of DCSD
receiving “Emerging” recognition increased from 21 to schools that received a School Climate Star Rating of 4 or
22. higher were PBIS schools.
o From the 22-23 school to the 23-24 school year, schools
receiving “Operational” recognition increased from 13 The percentage of PBIS schools earning a School Climate
to 15. Star Rating of 4 or higher increased by 36.84% from the
o From the 22-23 school to the 23-24 school year, schools 2022–2023 to the 2023–2024 school year.
receiving “Distinguished” recognition increased from 0
to 1.
PBIS Professional Learning (PL) Sessions
Total # of PBIS Professional Learning Sessions = 57 Total # of Participants = 1,034
Thirteen PBIS Retraining Sessions New Cohort 9 Schools MTSS Tier I Readiness Two Bus Transportation Department PBIS Training
(135 Participants) Training and PBIS Training (70 Participants) (201 Participants)
Three Schoolwide Information System (SWIS) PBIS Principals Meeting (70 Participants) Social Workers and Attendance Specialists PBIS
Trainings (112 Participants) Training (80 Participants)
New Cohort 9 Principals MTSS-PBIS Overview PBIS Behavior Specialist Training (46 Participants) Culture and Climate Coordinators, Attendance
Training (10 Participants) Specialists, and Mental Health Coordinators MTSS-
PBIS Training Overview (35 Participants)
Twenty-Five PBIS Principals Check-In Meetings MTSS Specialists Tier I Behavior System Training PBIS District Team presented two session
(35 Participants) (100 participants) presentations at the Georgia Association for
Positive Behavior Support (GAPBS) Conference
(80 Participants)
Six PBIS School Coaches Meetings (60 Participants)
PBIS Accomplishments
• DCSD has one Distinguished PBIS School, fifteen Operational PBIS Schools, and two Operational PBIS GNETS sites that have earned exemplar GaDOE
PBIS State Recognition.
• Oak Grove Elementary School and Tucker High School are Association for Positive Behavior Support International Conference PBIS Film Festival
Winners.
• During the 2023-2024 52% of DCSD Schools that earned a 4 or 5 School Climate Star Rating were PBIS Schools.
• Department of Student Relations PBIS District Team met our DCSD PBIS MIRACLE Priority Goal of increasing the number of combined PBIS schools
and GNET centers from 50 to 60 by June 2025.
• DCSD PBIS video, Superintendent, Dr. Devon Horton
• The Student Relations PBIS District Team partnered with Metro RESA to ensure training and coaching systems met the Georgia Department of
Education (GaDOE) GaMTSS PBIS School Recognition Criteria.
• PBIS District Team presented two session presentations at the Georgia Association for Positive Behavior Support (GAPBS) Conference.
• PBIS District Coordinator and Five PBIS District Coaches are certified PBIS Trainers
Thank You!