Agenda Item
a. Renewal: ReThinkEd., Inc. (Not to Exceed $99,654)
Summary: Presented by: Kishia K. Towns, Ph.D., Chief of Wrap Around Services, Division of Wrap Around Services
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education approve the renewal to purchase RethinkEd, Inc. High School Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum for an amount not to exceed $99,654.
Why: The DeKalb County School District requires a robust and comprehensive social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum for high school students, which can also support the In-School Suspension (ISS) Intervention Program. The RethinkEd Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Solution equips students with critical SEL skills essential for success in school and life.
Details: The RethinkEd SEL Curriculum for high schools is aligned with the DeKalb County School District's (DCSD) Student Code of Conduct and Culture and Climate Strategic Plan Goals. In DCSD, our goal is to empower students to grow emotionally, socially, and academically by providing targeted interventions and facilitating the development of essential life skills. Through this program, students will have the opportunity to demonstrate a positive change in attitude and behavior with the support of educators providing targeted interventions and employing various approaches to address disciplinary incidents. We strive to transform challenges into opportunities for personal growth and successfully reintegrate high school students into the school community with renewed confidence and resilience.
Implementation of the high school RethinkEd SEL Program will help the district achieve the following goals:
Decrease instruction time loss.
Decrease out-of-school (OSS) for students.
Decrease in-school suspension (ISS) for students.
Improve students’ social emotional skills.
Improve student academic and behavior outcomes.
Decrease behavior referrals/suspensions.
Increase the fidelity of behavior intervention support practices.
Improve student attendance rates.
Financial impact: The annual cost to renew the RethinkEd Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Curriculum shall not exceed $99,654 and will be paid from Purchased Prof/Tech Services account code: 100.2100.530000.00011.7560.9990.8010.090.0000.
Contact: Kishia K. Towns, Ph.D., Chief of Wrap Around Services, Division of Wrap Around Services, 678.676.1913
Dr. Darnell Logan, Director of Student Relations, Division of Wrap Around Services, 770. 656.0185
Ms. Brandy Woolridge, PBIS Coordinator II, Wrap Around Services, Division of Wrap Around Services, 678. 218.2154
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
CHRONOLOGY OF THE AGENDA ITEM
RethinkEd Social-Emotional Learning Platform Services
Contract Renewal (2026–2027 School Year)
Scope:
Contract Renewal – RethinkEd Social-Emotional Learning Platform Services – Rethink
Autism, Inc. (RethinkEd) to provide a 9-12, multi-tiered SEL and mental health platform,
including curriculum, assessments, professional learning, and implementation support
services for DeKalb County School District.
Additional information can be found in the following documents:
• RethinkEd Supporting Documents
➢ RethinkEd Independent Contract Agreement
➢ RethinkEd Certificate of Insurance
➢ RethinkEd Master Service Agreement
➢ Pre-Board Meeting Agenda Item Narrative
➢ Resources
Contract/Renewal Term:
The DeKalb County School Board of Education approved the initial agreement with
Rethink Autism, Inc. for SEL platform services.
Renewal Term: July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027
Not to exceed $99,758.00
This agenda item seeks approval for the contract renewal for the 2026–2027 school year.
Summary:
The RethinkEd platform provides a comprehensive K–12 social-emotional learning and
mental health solution aligned to Whole Child supports. Services include SEL
curriculum, student lessons, progress monitoring, assessments, and professional
development. The renewal ensures continued access to the platform, supports
implementation fidelity, and strengthens Tier 1 prevention and intervention efforts across
the district for all high schools. This investment supports improved student outcomes,
enhanced school climate, and alignment with district priorities for behavior, well-being,
and academic success.
Strategic Goal Area 5: Mental Health and Wellness, Performance Objective 5.1:
Create safe and supportive environments that promote positive mental health and
wellness. Specifically, it supports Strategy C: Implement the SEL curriculum to help
students manage emotions, problem-solve, and build positive relationships with others, in
accordance with the Code of Student Conduct and the ISS Intervention Program.
Additionally, this initiative aligns with the district's Bullying Campaign Initiative by
providing students with the tools to address and prevent bullying through improved
emotional regulation, conflict resolution skills, and empathy development.