Agenda Item
a. Student Assignment Project ~ Updated 12.8.2025
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Sarita Smith, Executive Director of Student Assignment, Division of Access & Opportunity
DeKalb County
School District
November SAP Update
Presented by: Sarita Smith
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Vision
To reimagine 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 dismantling • To direct DCSD to make specific changes within the
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 that all students have a quality education.
• Recommend boundaries, buildings, and programs suited
for the current and projected enrollment.
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Five Reasons Why
Declining Student Consolidated Resources
Enrollment 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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Timeline
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SAP November Meeting Goals
Provide guidance on program placement concepts.
Understanding the data related to SAP and the HPM Dashboard.
Begin processing the program scenario metrics.
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November Recap
11/19/25
11/5/25 - Unfinished business
- Reviewed community feedback and myths ▪ Committee discussion on survey
- Program placement concepts results
- Exposed to the scenario evaluation metrics - Timeline updates
- Working groups and share out - Data, Data, Data
- HPM Dashboard
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Program Placement Concept Feedback
Concept A Concept B Concept C
Super-Regions with Equitable Super-Regions with Super-Region K-5’s with 6-12
Distribution of Programs: No Dedicated Special Thematic Pathways
Programs in Stand-Alone Program Facilities
Category Buildings
High (ideal), but possibly Moderate / pragmatic Mixed: equity in ES, inequity
Equity & Access unrealistic in MS
Community Continuity Strong Medium Weak
Strong (PK–12 pathways) Medium Weak (too early choice)
Student Development Fit
Transportation Easiest Medium Very difficult
Operational Feasibility Low Medium–High High
General Support Strongest Mixed Lowest
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SAP Feedback 11/19/2025
Question 1: Do we have sufficient data to determine Question 2: Do we have sufficient data to determine how many
where programs should be placed? schools should be consolidated based on current enrollment
(40% yes / 60% no) and projections? (56% yes/ 44% no)
✓ We have similar programs in stand-alone buildings and ✓ We have enrollment over decades
program ✓ We know where students live vs. where they attend school
✓ We have data related to school choice program ✓ We know we have way more capacity than students
enrollment, waitlist, and locations (heat maps)
✓ Lived perception vs data is hard to reconcile
✓ Program evaluation is desired to move a program ✓ Anxiety around the personal impact to families (human
✓ A desire to have assessment of embedded vs stand- factor)
alone programs related to culture and climate and ✓ A desire for a cost saving goal or a number of building
effectiveness closure goal
✓ Instructional capacity to scale
✓ If a program moved, what would the impact be on
demand and desire
The exit survey revealed that 86% of the committee better understands the enrollment,
capacity, facility adequacy, and facility condition.
The committee is split on moving programs. 9
Community Feedback
School Capacity, Boundaries, and Equity Concerns
• Strong concerns about overcrowding at Ashford Park, unbalanced enrollment created by specialized programs, and boundary decisions
that have historically favored more affluent, whiter communities at the expense of others (e.g., John Lewis ES, Buford Hwy corridor,
South DeKalb).
Support for Keeping Neighborhoods and Communities Intact
• Many families strongly want to remain zoned for their current schools (especially Ashford Park, Drew Valley, Brookhaven Field s,
Avondale, and Brookhaven Village).
• Repeated requests not to fracture cohesive neighborhoods or move communities without compelling benefit.
Magnet, Choice, and High Achiever Program Protection
• Intense concern about maintaining the Chamblee High School magnet, Kittredge Magnet School, and high achiever pathways.
• Fear that moving, scaling, or altering these programs will reduce quality, harm student relationships, and undermine college readiness
opportunities.
Concerns With German Immersion (GI) at Ashford Park
• Parents feel the GI program no longer serves the local community, contributes to overcrowding, and should be relocated or re-evaluated.
• Families want data on how many GI students live in-zone and how many would remain if relocated.
Need for More Programs, Supports, and Equity in Services
• Requests for:
○ More gifted/high-achiever programming
○ Support for ADHD, behavior intervention, and literacy (including dyslexia-specific programs)
○ Expanded bilingual, dual-language, and culturally responsive curricula
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○ After-school resources, parent education programs, and more communication between schools and families
Community Feedback
Strong Call for Investment in Under-Resourced Schools (Especially South DeKalb & Buford Hwy Corridor)
• Repeated statements that South DeKalb schools are neglected.
• Middle school needed in Clarkston.
• Demand for equity in programs and facilities, not only new schools in areas experiencing gentrification.
Transportation, Infrastructure, and Facility Concerns
• Need for improved internet reliability, updated buildings, fewer trailers, and clearer bus system communication.
• Requests for modernized facilities across the district, not isolated to select clusters.
Engagement, Transparency, and Responsiveness Issues
• Parents express frustration with poor communication, lack of responsiveness from schools and the district, and feeling exclud ed from
decisions.
• Desire for SAP transparency, especially around redistricting timelines and temporary relocation plans.
Spanish-Speaking Community Themes
• Requests for:
○ More educational programs (especially for younger grades)
○ More Latino teachers and culturally competent staff
○ Better Spanish-language communication
○ Safety, building improvements, and more resources for families
○ Support for parents to help children with homework
○ Transportation improvements
• Many express appreciation for communication but want deeper, more equitable inclusion.
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Community Feedback
Small Group Community Meeting Feedback
Southwest DeKalb Collation
• Community Trust & Engagement: Families feel disconnected from schools due to complex volunteer processes,
unaddressed concerns, and limited communication; parents want genuine inclusion, not token incentives.
• Equity & Access: South DeKalb residents perceive disparities in resources, support, and opportunities compared to
other areas, driving frustration and community mobility.
• Student Belonging & Safety: Students remain in schools where they feel safe, welcomed, and connected—
highlighting the importance of positive school culture.
• Leadership & Communication: Community members call for stronger advocacy from elected officials and clearer,
more accessible information from the district to rebuild confidence and trust.
PAC
• Communication: Members are excited and ready to share SAP possibilities with their schools and communities.
Superintendent Advisory Committee (Exceptional Education)
- The district should consider more specialized schools (ex: dyslexia)
- The committee would like to ensure the loudest voices aren't driving decisions
- Exceptional education representation needed to develop new programs
** We also attended Board member DaCosta's Town Hall and Indian Creek Community Meeting 12
Share the
Community Engagement Iterative
ideas, related
data, and
Process
challenges, and
opportunities
Share iterations
with
Gather feedback
communities
from the
and gather more
community
feedback
(repeat)
SAP committee
review and
iterate using the
guiding
principles
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Community
Feedback
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What's Next
SAP Committee Meeting
• December 10th
Virtual Community Town Hall Meetings
• Saturday, December 13 @ 1:00 pm
The SAP internal planning team is determining the new meeting cadence
once community meetings begin. We plan to meet at least once a month
through May 2026.
Student Assignment Project (SAP)
Website
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