Agenda Item
b. Renewal: College AIM, Inc. (Not to Exceed $240,000)
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 Letter of Agreement between College AIM, INC., and the DeKalb County School District (DCSD), for an additional year for an amount not to exceed $240,000. The contract renewal is through July 31, 2027, and will be in accordance with the existing fee structure provided in the vendor's service agreement. This request supports Strategic Goal Area 1 Student Academic Success with Equity and Access.
Why: The DeKalb County School District’s Strategic Plan Goal Area I Student Success with Equity and Access prioritizes graduating students who are ready to thrive in college, career, military, and life. DCSD is committed to students who have historically been under-served in the traditional public education system by providing the post-secondary readiness support and services they need. Through a partnership with College AIM INC., students will benefit from a flexible, non-traditional approach to earning their high school diploma and/or vocational certification. In addition, more than $1 million will be awarded to DCSD students and alums in 26-27 through College AIM-specific and partnered scholarships.
Details: College AIM guides and supports high school students to and through college, including technical colleges, two-year colleges and four-year institutions, by running workshops to help students explore and connect to postsecondary opportunities, providing individual post-secondary advising, taking students on college visits, counseling students regarding financial, academic and social support services through college graduation, and providing scholarships and access to scholarship opportunities. College AIM will provide “post-secondary prep” programming at McNair, Stone Mountain, Towers, Cross Keys, and Lithonia High Schools. Programming would include post-secondary advice for 12th grade students, continued postgraduate coaching for enrolled students and post-secondary exposure for 9th-11th grade students.
Financial impact: The compensation to College AIM, Inc. will be a payment not to exceed $240,000. This includes $45,000 in funding per school partner, totaling $225,000; for school buses for local college exposure with nine trips per school, totaling $15,000. The source of funding will be derived from General Funds under Change Code: 100.2210.530000.00011.7040.9990.8010.090.0000.
Contact: Kishia K. Towns, Ph.D., Chief of Wrap Around Services, Division of Wrap Around Services, 678.676.1811
Mr. Christopher Key, Executive Director of Student Advancement, Division of Wrap Around Services, 678.485.9544
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
CHRONOLOGY OF THE AGENDA ITEM
Scope:
Contract - Renewal - The proposed 26-27 partnership would support more than 4,000 DCSD students
across five school partners—McNair HS, Stone Mountain HS, Towers HS, Cross Keys HS, and Lithonia
HS. At each high school, the program would support students across all grade levels. Additionally,
College AIM will partner with Druid Hills High School to pilot a targeted postsecondary advising
program focused on 12th grade students during the 2026–27 school year. This pilot will serve as the
foundation for developing a scalable model that can expand to additional schools in future years.
Contract/Renewal Term:
The DeKalb County School Board of Education (“the Board”) approved the award for an initial (1) year
option to renew subject to Board approval on an annual basis.
The renewals terms are as follows:
• Year 1 Initial contract Not to Exceed $140,000 – SY24-25
• Year 2 Renewal contract Not to Exceed $215,000 – SY25-26
• Year 3 Proposed Renewal contract Not to Exceed $240,000 SY-26-27 This current agenda
item seeks the Board of Education approval
Summary:
On August 12, 2024, the DeKalb Board of Education approved the contract/MOU for College AIM.
During the school year of 24-25, College AIM supported more than 4,000 DCSD students across five
school partners—McNair HS, Stone Mountain HS, Towers HS, Cross Keys HS, and Lithonia HS. At each
high school, the program would support every student in the school building, from ninth through
twelfth grade.
On August 11, 2025, the DeKalb Board of Education approved the contract/MOU for College AIM.
During the 2025-2026 school year College AIM supported more than 4,000 DCSD students across five
school partners—McNair HS, Stone Mountain HS, Towers HS, Cross Keys HS, and Lithonia HS. At each
high school, the program would support every student in the school building, from ninth through
twelfth grade.
During the 2026-2027 school year, the proposed 26-27 partnership would support more than 4,000
DCSD students across five school partners—McNair HS, Stone Mountain HS, Towers HS, Cross Keys
HS, and Lithonia HS. At each high school, the program would support students across all grade levels.