Agenda Item
a. Student Assignment Project ~ Updated 10.6.2025
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Sarita Smith, Executive Director of Student Assignment, Division of Access & Opportunity
Request: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgALjJGaXyw
DeKalb County
School District
September SAP Update
Presented by: Sarita Smith
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Vision, Purpose &
Non-Purpose, and
Timeline
Vision
To reimaging DCSD by considering programs,
boundaries, and buildings holistically, using data, and
reviewing every 5 years to align with E-SPLOST.
This comprehensive planning process will help
position ALL our students upon graduation to Enroll,
Employ, engage in Entrepreneurship, or Enlist.
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SAP Advisory Purpose and Non-Purpose
Purpose Non-Purpose of the Advisory
• Serve as a critical thought partner in assessing systems • To make final decisions regarding policy or standard
related to buildings, boundaries, and programs. operating procedures related to DCSD.
• Serve as a critical thought partner in assessing DCSD's • To determine the daily operations of schools or
current student assignment procedures and policies. programs.
• Provide impartial recommendations suited to • To direct DCSD to make specific changes within the
dismantling structural inequities. purview of the Board of Education.
• Use data to make informed decisions and • To make decisions that only impact specific children or
recommendations. communities.
• Recommend ways for DCSD to become fiscally efficient.
• Review and recommend ways to reimagine DCSD
programs and offerings so all students have a quality
education.
• Recommend boundaries, buildings, and programs suited
for the current and projected enrollment.
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September Recap
Recap - Two September Meetings
9/24/25
9/10/25 - Introduced HPM School Dashboard
- Welcome Back - Reviewed the Big Question related to
- Timeline program placement
- Reviewed Challenges and 5 Reasons - Reviewed current programs
- Action Items - Working groups completed
- Collaborations worksheets
- Shared out
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Five Reasons We Need SAP
Declining Student Consolidated Resources
Enrolment and
Underutilized Schools
More Efficient Transportation
School Building Need Routes and Bus Savings
Significant Repairs and
Improvements
Severely Over and Under Capacity Schools
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SAP Call To Action
By January 2026
- Determine how programs are placed; in separate
buildings or neighborhood schools?
- What criteria should be used to determine the
placement of special programs?
By May 2026 – select members and staff will be on the
- Determine how we prioritize which buildings and
collaborative committee
boundaries need adjustment (Planning School
- Review community feedback and determine if
Metrics).
tweaks or changes are necessary.
- Determine specific ES/MS/HS need to be
- Create final recommendations.
consolidated/ repurposed.
- Determine what we can or should do with other
buildings or property.
- Develop a few general recommendations for
communities to review and provide feedback.
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THE BIG QUESTION:
Should DCSD’s special programs be offered in
a few schools across the district, or placed
within neighborhood schools?
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Big Question Defined
DCSD’s special programs should be offered in a DCSD’s special programs should be offered
few schools across the district in neighborhood schools
- Specific stand-alone facilities would be - A program within a school model means that
designated to house special programs with a specialized program (like STEM, Montessori,
those facilities being distributed throughout dual language, or arts) is offered inside a
the district regular neighborhood school
- Each of these buildings may house multiple - Special programs will only be housed in
programs neighborhood schools
- Special programs will only be housed in non-
neighborhood schools
Committee Feedback
Take aways from 9/10/25 meeting related to program placement
• Stakeholders want clear, transparent, and comprehensive data on enrollment, capacity, program
effectiveness, cost, and equity. They are especially concerned about program placement fairness,
ROI, and student outcomes, and want the district to use this data for long-term planning and
community trust.
Take aways from 9/24/25 meeting related to program placement
• Participants want smaller, better-facilitated groups, more data and clarity on program models and
outcomes, and greater equity in program distribution. They emphasized that effective process and
transparent data are essential before making program or school redesign decisions.
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SAP Says
Hybrid program school model where programs are Programs that require special equipment may
offered in neighborhood schools in a super cluster require a stand-alone building
A limited diversity of programmatic opportunities
DCSD should not offer specialty programs in K-5 to
in a cluster model.
become more efficient
Difficult to have this question without program
Minimum number of students committed to a
outcomes
program
There are programs that do need separate facilities
We have to be creative about how we offer (examples: DSA/DAA, CTAE)
programs in neighborhood schools, so all students
have access Creatively rotate students based on specialized
programs
A hybrid model within district regions, so all
schools have access to quality academics No school choice beyond specialized needs until
middle school
Depletion of teacher and student talent when Programs should be fluid and evaluated on a 5-year
there are stand-alone program buildings basis
Community Feedback
1. Preserve Chamblee Cluster Alignment: Many parents strongly oppose rezoning Ashford Park and surrounding
neighborhoods out of the Chamblee Middle/High School cluster. They stress the importance of academic alignment,
particularly access to AP and advanced programs not currently offered at Cross Keys.
2. Protect Gifted, Magnet, and Language Programs: There is widespread support for continuing School Choice options,
including the German Immersion (GI), magnet, and gifted programs. Parents credit these with driving school improvement
and providing critical opportunities for high-achieving students.
3. Keep Neighborhoods and Communities Intact: Families want to avoid being split across different schools, emphasizing
the social and community impact. They cite shared activities, sports teams, and long-standi
ng ties between Ashford Park, Drew Valley, and other Brookhaven neighborhoods.
4. Academic Quality and Equity Concerns: Parents fear being rezoned to lower-performing schools (e.g., Montclair, John
Lewis, Woodward) with significantly lower test scores. They argue that this move would reduce academic opportunities
and unfairly disadvantage children in high performing zones.
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Community Feedback
5. Opposition to Rapid Implementation and Lack of Transparency: Concerns are raised about the rushed timeline, lack of
clear data, and poor communication from DeKalb County School District. Many ask for more time, input, and transparent
planning before decisions are finalized.
6. Avoid Redistricting as a Quick Fix for Overcrowding: Instead of redrawing boundaries, many suggest expanding or
upgrading facilities (e.g., Ashford Park and Montgomery) to accommodate growth without disrupting high-functioning
school communities.
7. Maintain Consistent Academic Pathways: Families have planned their children’s education (and often home purchases)
around current school clusters. Disrupting this pathway, particularly for those already in gifted/magnet programs, is seen
as destabilizing and unfair.
8. Negative Impact on Property Values and Enrollment Stability: Homeowners are concerned that redistricting will
reduce home values and prompt an exodus to private schools or different districts, thereby weakening both the public
school system and community fabric.
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Community Feedback
9. Community Investments at Risk: Parents highlight the time, effort, and fundraising they've poured into their current
schools. They argue redistricting would dismantle years of progress and parent engagement in building strong school
cultures.
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Community
Feedback
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What's Next
Committee Meeting, October 8
• Finalize program placement consensus
• Consider special circumstances for program placement
• Review programs not meeting new criteria
Committee Meeting, October 22
• Review neighborhood school projections
• Analyze maps and HPM supporting data
Virtual Community Town Hall Meetings
• Saturday, October 25th @ 1:00 p.m.
• Tuesday, October 28th @ @ 6:30 p.m.
Chat w/ SAP Virtual Meeting, October 9th and October 23rd
6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Student Assignment Project (SAP)
Website
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