Agenda Item
a. Purchase of Instructional Materials and Resources (Not to exceed $10,100,000)
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum and Instruction
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the purchase of previously adopted textbooks, supplemental resources, textbook management systems, and instructional materials, including print and digital resources, from Capstone, Cengage, Clairmont Press, eDynamic, Follett, Gallopade, Gibbs Smith Education, Hello World, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Imagine Learning, McGraw Hill, Pasco, Pearson, Savvas, Social Studies School Service, STEMscopes, and Studies Weekly, in an amount not to exceed $10,100,000.
Why: According to Board Policy IFA-Instructional Media, the District must provide access to instructional resources including, but not limited to, textbooks and supplementary materials. It is necessary to purchase previously adopted textbooks, supplemental resources, textbook management systems, and instructional resources needed to replenish inventory or accommodate growth.
Details: During the 2025-2026 school year, the District may purchase previously adopted instructional resources from the following vendors that may exceed $100,000.00:
Vendor
Content/
Grade
Year Adopted
Format
*Cost Estimate
Clairmont Press
Social Studies
6-8
2018
Digital
$135,000.00
Gallopade
Social Studies
3-5
2018
Print
$455,617.58
Gibbs Smith Education
Social Studies
8
2018
Digital
$135,920.00
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Science
K-4 & 6-7
2018
Print & Digital
$3,489,193.67
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Science
5 & 8
2018
Print & Digital
$1,184,651.18
McGraw Hill
Science
Anatomy & Physical Science
2018
Digital
$794,201.70
McGraw Hill
Social Studies
9-12
2018
Digital
$887,925.00
Pasco
Science
Physics
2018
Digital
$47,180.00
Pearson
Science
AP Biology
2018
Digital
$20,000.00
Pearson
Science
Forensic
2018
Digital
$200,000.00
Savvas
Science
Biology
2018
Digital
$180,000.00
Social Studies School Service
Social Studies
6-12
2018
Digital
$246,362.22
STEMScopes
Science
K-8
2018
Digital
$587,142.80
Studies Weekly
Social Studies
8
2018
Print
$242,646.77
Total
$8,605,840.92
*Note: The quotes are based on projected enrollment, not actual enrollment.
Pursuant to Board Policy DJE III.D.3.g. 1-2, the textbook management systems and supplemental resources for schools have been evaluated annually and selected by qualified, professional personnel based on sound pedagogical judgement and in the District’s best interest. These selected resources from the following vendors may exceed $100,000.00 in a singular purchase:
Vendor
Content/
Grade
Format
*Cost Estimate
Capstone
All Areas
K-12
Digital
$161,207.76
Cengage - Gale
All Areas
K-12
Digital
$153,238.88
eDynamic
CTAE
HS
Digital
$210,000.00
Follett
All Areas
K-12
Digital Library Management System
$150,796.32
Hello World
CTAE
HS
Digital
$179,500.00
Imagine Learning
Language, Literacy, and Math/
English Learners and 3-8
Digital
$633,755.00
Total
$1,488,497.96
*Note: The quotes are based on projected enrollment, not actual enrollment.
Financial impact: The total financial impact is in an amount not to exceed $10,100,000.
Charge codes
Cost Estimate
100.1000.564100.00011.7580.9990.8010.035.0000
$698,264.35
100.1000.564000.00011.7580.9990.8010.035.0000
$7,907,576.57
100.1000.553200.00911.7410.1310.8010.035.0000
$598,201.64
100.2220.530000.00911.7410.1310.8010.035.0000
$150,796.32
100.1000.553200.00011.7450.3011.8010.035.0000
$389,500.00
460.1000.553200.07221.7130.1816.6015.094.2025
$350,000.00
Cost Estimate
$10,094,338.88
Contact: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum and Instruction, 678-676-0731,
Dr. Sean R. Tartt, Deputy Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum and Instruction, 678-676-0731,
Dr. Penny Mosley, Assistant Superintendent P-5 Curriculum and Instruction, 678-676-0137,
Dr. Rose Prejean-Harris, Assistant Superintendent 6-8 Curriculum and Instruction, 678-676-0137,
Mrs. Lummie Baker, Director, Educational Media and Instructional Materials, Division of Curriculum and Instruction, 678-676-2423
Effective: August 12, 2025
Status: Pending Approval by the Office of Legal Affairs
Hello World CS/DeKalb
County Partnership –
Data Usage
Information
MISSION
To drive forward a sustainable model
for computer science education that
changes the trajectory of students’
lives, fuels societal advancement, and
enables both equitable access and
social change.
2
Partnership History
Fall 2022 Fall 2024
Fall 2023
DeKalb County PS Partnership expanded to
District launched an official
educator Alisha Atkinson CTE and STEM programs
pilot with HW across 3 sites
awarded grant to run across 2 ES, 1 MS, and 11
- Hawthorne ES, Obama
Hello World CS at HS; full launch delayed to
ES, and Lithonia HS for
Hawthorne ES Dec 2024 due to IT
SY23–24
approvals.
Spring 2024 Spring 2025
Spring 2023
With a highly successful With strong results across
Program in full swing, with
pilot program in SY22-23, key metrics including
25+ additional schools
Alisha presented the HW usage and student
advocating for access to
curriculum to the district growth, the district began
HW for the following
team. planning expansion for
school year.
SY24–25.
Hello World courses support Georgia STEM certification in:
Georgia Area 1 - Culture of STEM
Area 2 - Instructional Practices
Area 3 - Professional Learning
Alignment Course Code GA Course Name Hello World CS Curriculum
ELEMENTARY
11.07400 Computer Science First Grade CS Adventures with VR, pt 1
11.07500 Computer Science Second Grade CS Adventures with VR, pt 2
11.07600 Computer Science Grade 3 CS Breakthroughs with VR, pt 1
11.07700 Computer Science Grade 4 CS Breakthroughs with VR, pt 2
11.07800 Computer Science Grade 5 CS Breakthroughs with VR, pt 3
Course Code GA Course Name Hello World CS Curriculum
11.03000 Middle School Computer Science I CS Connections
MIDDLE
CS Connections or
11.04000 Middle School Computer Science II
CS Dimensions
CS Connections or
11.01200 Foundations of Computer Programming
CS Dimensions
Hello World courses support Georgia STEM certification in:
Georgia Alignment Area 1 - Culture of STEM
Area 2 - Instructional Practices
Area 3 - Professional Learning
Course Code IT Pathway(s) GA Course Name Hello World CS Curriculum
Web and Digital Design
Programming
Computer Science
Web Development (Levels 1-3) +
11.44600 Web Development Intro to Software Technology
CS Dimensions with VR (Levels 0-2)
Game Design
Cloud Computing
HIGH SCHOOL
Internet of Things
11.45100 Web and Digital Design Web Design Web Development
Programming
Computer Science
Web Development
11.47100 Computer Science Principles (non-AP) CS Dimensions with VR
Game Design
Cloud Computing
Internet of Things
11.42500 Web Development Web Development Web Development + supplementals
11.44300 Artificial Intelligence Foundations of Artificial Intelligence Intro to Python + supplements
11.44400 Artificial Intelligence Artificial Intelligence Concepts Data Science + AI
Usage and Mastery Data - Spring 2025
Barack Obama International Arabia Mountain Cedar Grove
Description Hawthorne ES
ES Center High School High School
High Schools
Number of Student Users 410 151 181 116 81
Number of Teachers Supported 1 1 2 1 1
Total Average Platform Usage Spring ‘25
576 minutes 496 minutes 3,280 minutes 2,800 minutes 3,040 minutes
per student (minutes)
Total Average Platform Usage Spring ‘25
9.6 hours 8.3 hours 55 hours 47 hours 51 hours
per student (hours)
Average Platform Usage Per Week in
36 minutes 31 minutes 205 minutes 175 minutes 190 minutes
Minutes per student
Average Student Progress
Level 3 Level 2 Level 2 Level 2 Level 2
*there are 6 projects per level
Farthest Student Progress Level 5 Level 4 Level 2 Level 2 Level 2
GA Computer Science Standards Mastery 75% 85% 68% 93% 75%
% of users that engage on platform
5% 3% 1% 0% 1%
outside of class time
Usage and Mastery Data - Spring 2025
Chamblee
Clarkston Columbia High Cross Keys High Dunwoody High
Description Charter High
High Schools School
High School School School School
Number of Student Users 122 79 55 115 117
Number of Teachers Supported 2 1 1 2 1
Total Average Platform Usage Spring
2,720 minutes 2,560 minutes 2,480 minutes 1,152 minutes 2,405 minutes
‘25 per student (minutes)
Total Average Platform Usage Spring
45 hours 43 hours 41 hours 19 hours 40
‘25 per student (hours)
Average Platform Usage Per Week in
170 minutes 160 minutes 155 minutes 72 minutes 150
Minutes per student
Average Student Progress
Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 2 Level 3
*there are 6 projects per level
Farthest Student Progress Level 4 Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 4
GA Computer Science Standards
91% 80% 78% 71% 80%
Mastery
% of users that engage on platform
8% 3% 0% 0% 4%
outside of class time
Usage and Mastery Data - Spring 2025
Stone
Lithonia High Tucker High
Description Flex Academy Mountain High Total / Average
High Schools School
School
School
Number of Student Users 89 87 82 91 1,776 students
Number of Teachers Supported 2 2 1 1 19 teachers
Total Average Platform Usage
1,120 minutes 1,368 minutes 2,320 minutes 2,680 minutes 30,170 minutes
Spring ‘25 per student (minutes)
Total Average Platform Usage
18 hours 23 hours 39 hours 45 hours 503 hours
Spring ‘25 per student (hours)
Average Platform Usage Per Week
70 minutes 86 minutes 145 minutes 167 minutes 144 minutes
in Minutes per student
Average Student Progress
Level 1 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 2.6
*there are 6 projects per level
Farthest Student Progress Level 2 Level 1 Level 3 Level 4 Level 3
GA Computer Science Standards
73% 70% 71% 82% 77.4%
Mastery
% of users that engage on platform
12% 2% 1% 6% 4%
outside of class time
Program Reach & Engagement Summary
14 DeKalb County schools are actively using Hello World CS, with 19 teachers
leading implementation across elementary, middle, and high school.
Across all courses, 1,776 students have engaged with the platform, completing
over 27,700 projects, with 91.6% of students still active in May 2025.
Time on platform varies by grade level: elementary students engage weekly,
middle schoolers daily, and high school use depends on block or daily schedules.
Across all levels, teachers use Hello World CS as their primary computer science
curriculum.
Student mastery of computer science standards ranges from 68% to 85% across
schools.