Agenda Item
a. Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the DeKalb County School District (DCSD) on behalf of the Georgia Learning Resource System (GLRS) (Not to exceed $564,000) ~ Updated 8.7.2025
Summary: Dr. Norman, C. Sauce, Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the Memorandum of Agreement between the Georgia Department of Education and the DeKalb County School District on behalf of the Georgia Learning Resources System for an amount not to exceed $564,000. There is no financial impact to the District.
Why: Metro East GLRS provides direct support to six area school systems: DeKalb, Buford City, Decatur City, Fulton, Gwinnett, and Rockdale Counties. In these systems, Metro East GLRS provides support for parents of students with disabilities, teachers of students with disabilities, as well as students with disabilities. Metro East GLRS also provides in-kind ancillary services for the remainder of the Metro area: Cobb County Schools, Atlanta Public Schools, Clayton County Schools, Marietta City Schools, Douglas County Schools and Forsyth County Schools. Metro East GLRS works directly with the Directors and Executive Directors of Special Education to design and implement professional learning associated with any District improvement plan or Plan of Support, Coordinated Early Intervening Services (CEIS) and Corrective Action Plans (CAP) as initiated by the Georgia Department of Education. GLRS supports the design and implementation plans for ATSI schools in in the Metro Area. These services are in the form of planning, professional learning, seminars, coaching, and mentoring. In addition, Metro East GLRS maintains and operates the Materials Production Center (MPC) and Resource Library located in the DeKalb County Administrative and Instructional Complex (AIC).
Details: The Metro GLRS program is funded by the Georgia Department of Education, Division for Special Education Services and Supports and is operated in collaboration with Regional Educational Services Agencies (RESA's) or a local school district that serves as a fiscal agent. MEGLRS is funded entirely with federal discretionary funds made available by the Georgia Department of Education through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA).
Under this Agreement, GLRS will provide consistent, regional and state-wide opportunities for professional learning that include “train-the-trainer” sessions to support equitable opportunities in each Area. The GaDOE will inform the scope of work of GLRS based on the priorities for state-wide and region-level needs for professional development. Funding must be used solely for activities and deliverables that directly support the accomplishment of the organizations purposes, priorities, and expected outcomes during the contractual period.
Metro East GLRS is self-supporting, yet the benefits of proximity for DCSD are numerous. Metro East GLRS maintains, operates and funds The Materials Production Center (MPC), located within DeKalb County. The MPC houses all equipment and machinery necessary for teachers to prepare instructional materials for the classroom. Metro East GLRS also provides, at cost, any supplies required to produce instructional materials on site. In addition, this places the GLRS Resource Library within the District. This Resource Library contains not only books and materials but adaptive equipment for instructional use by Students with Disabilities (SWD). All material and equipment may be checked out by teachers of the SWD population. Though these facilities are open to all school districts served by the Metro East GLRS, the facility’s proximity to DeKalb County schools is advantageous. During the FY25 school year, 81% of the 2,800 patrons visiting the center were DeKalb County teachers, administrators and parents. During the FY25 school year, the staff of Metro East GLRS has conducted 214 professional learning and technical assistance activities engaging 4,300 individuals from six metro districts. Thirty-five percent (35%) of those participants were DCSD teachers, coaches, and administrators. In addition, MEGLRS has successfully implemented the Georgia New Teacher Provider Retention Program retaining 100% of the DeKalb County Completers.
The programs are funded by the Georgia Department of Education, Divisions for Special Education Services and Supports, and are operated in collaboration with Regional Educational Service Agencies (RESA’s) or a local school district that serves as a fiscal agent. MEGLRS is funded entirely with federal discretionary funds made available by the state through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEA). There is an existing Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the Georgia Department of Education and DeKalb County School District (DCSD) in which DCSD serves as the fiscal agent for MEGLRS.
During the 2024-2025 school year, the following topics were addressed by the existing MEGLRS New Teacher Induction Specialists and the Project Facilitators
New Teacher Induction - New Teacher Coaching Support
Social Emotional High Leverage Practices - Train the Trainer model
Check and Connect
Mindset
Behavior Support
Understanding the Autistic Child
De-escalation Strategies
Structured Literacy
Specially Designed Instruction
Understanding the Psychological Evaluation
Classroom Management
Restorative Practices
Artificial Intelligence
TextHelp
Instructional Coaching Institutes
Financial impact: The method of compensation in this MOA will be payments in an amount not to exceed $564,000 to be paid to DCSD in accordance with the budget. Payment is rendered upon submission of documented allowable disbursements and documentation of completion of specific performance objectives.
There is no financial impact to DeKalb County Schools.
Contact: Dr. Norman Sauce III, Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services
Effective: August 15, 2025 - Jun 30, 2026
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
Historical Chronology
MEGLRS
1971-1972 – Through an agreement with the Georgia Department of Education, DeKalb County began
service as fiscal agent for Metro East GLRS. In addition, DCSD provided financial support for the
continuation of the Materials Production Center (Jim Cherry Teacher Center).
FY13 – Financial Support for the Materials Production Center by DeKalb County was dissolved. This
support previously consisted of:
• Payment of three individuals to run the MPC
• Payment for materials support
FY13 –Pay structure for the Materials Production Center was revamped by MEGLRS in order to
compensate for the loss of materials funds. MEGLRS then picked up.
• Full cost of materials
• 1.5 individuals to run the Materials Production Center
FY18 – GLRS Budget from the state allocation dropped from 455,000 to 425,000
FY20 – Prior to FY19 GLRS was utilizing a carryover amount that averaged $230,000 with that amount
decreasing each year to compensate drops in funding by both GADOE and DCSS
FY20 – Carryover for FY20 from FY19 was reduced to only 25% of the FY19 Carryover. Carry over
dropped to approximately 57,000 dollars. As a result:
• Planned services were suspended
• Most GLRS’s closed their Materials Production Center (only three remaining across the
state)
• All remaining carry over was used to cover salaries for the FY20 fiscal year which
included substantial raises
• DeKalb Exceptional Education Department began to pay one of two salaries (Kelly
Phipps in order to keep our MPC open)
FY21 – Metro East GLRS had access to no carry over as a result it was necessary to transition our full
time Program Specialist to a part time positions.
FY22 – Metro East GLRS budget increased from $425,000 to $460,000.
FY23-FY25 – Metro East GLRS budget increased from $460,000 to $564,000 allowing the addition of two
addition part time Program Specialist