Agenda Item
a. Instructional Resources (Not to Exceed $1,400,000)
Summary: Presented by: Mrs. Kiana King, Interim Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education approve the purchase of supplemental instructional resources and materials, both printed and digital, for the English Learners Department in an amount not to exceed $­­1,400,000.
Why: The selected vendors have been carefully vetted and identified to
improve access to meaningful content,
increase awareness of sound instructional practices,
provide technological assets that promote creativity, connections, and innovation, and
engage students in rigorous activities/ assessments.
These research-based supplemental instructional resources and materials provide full access to the DCSD’s rigorous curriculum to the school district’s diverse population.
DeKalb County School District adheres to Title III (Federal) funding allocation to provide supplemental services to improve the English language proficiency and academic achievement of English Learners.
Details: The DeKalb County School District will purchase supplemental instructional resources and materials to support the academic success of English Learners served through the Division of Student Services (English Learners Department) in accordance with Board Policy DJE (III.D.3.g).
Financial impact: The total financial impact for SY2026-2027 is not to exceed the amount of $1,400,000.
Title III Funds and general funds will be used to purchase these resources.
Charge codes: 460.1000.553200.07221.7130.1816.6015.094.2026 and 100.1000.553200.07711.7130.1353.6015.094.0000
Contact: Mrs. Kiana King, Interim Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services
Dr. Evelyn Hall, Executive Director of English Learners Department, Division of Student Services
Effective: July 1, 2026 - June 30, 2027
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
CHRONOLOGY OF THE AGENDA ITEM
Instructional Resources
Scope
The English Learners Department requests Board of Education approval to purchase
supplemental instructional resources in an amount not to exceed $1,400,000.00. This initiative
aligns with Board Policy DJE (III.D.3.g) and is intended to enhance the academic achievement
of English Learners within the DeKalb County School District, as supported by the Division of
Student Services.
For the 2026-2027 school year, the department may acquire research-based supplemental
instructional resources and materials from approved vendors. Some of these purchases may
individually exceed $100,000, ensuring that the department can secure high-quality resources
necessary to meet the diverse needs of English Learners and comply with district and federal
requirements.
A detailed explanation and the amount to be expended for each vendor are provided in the
detailed description attached to this request.
Contract/Lease Terms
• Contracts funded by general funds will be effective from July 1, 2026, through June 30,
2027. The contract period will begin upon Board approval and execution of the contract.
• Contracts funded by federal funds (Title III Grant) will be effective for the grant funding
period of October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027. These contracts will also
commence upon Board approval and a fully executed contract.
All contracts will be initiated only after receiving Board approval and completion of the required
contractual agreements.
Background
This year, the Department of English Learners is seeking Board approval for the purchase of
supplemental instructional resources. This request reflects a change from previous years, when
such purchases were bundled with all departmental requests under the Curriculum and
Instruction Division for Board approval. With the establishment of the new Division of Student
Services by Superintendent Horton, the Department of English Learners now operates within
this division and is submitting its resource request independently.
The selected instructional resources have been carefully vetted for their ability to improve
access to meaningful content, promote effective instructional practices, and engage students in
rigorous academic activities. These resources are specifically designed to support the diverse
needs of English Learners in the DeKalb County School District.
All recommended materials are research-based and intended to ensure that English Learners
have full access to the district’s rigorous curriculum. Funding for these resources will primarily
be provided through the federal Title III grant, except for the Curriculum Associates-ELLevation
platform, which will be funded with general funds. Approval of this request will enable the
district to continue meeting federal requirements and to support the academic success of its
diverse student population.
Financial Chronology
Year Cost
2025-2026 English Learners Department request of $1,400,000.00
2026-2027 English Learners Department request of $1,400,000.00
English Learners - Instructional Materials and Resources 2026-2027
Grade Content Amount
Department Vendor Notes
Level(s) Area (SY26-27)
Rosetta Stone is a digital resource used to
support English Learners in middle and high
English Rosetta Grades school to develop their English language
ESOL $90,000.00
Learners Stone 4 -12 proficiency. Students learn efficiently through
real-world scenarios, interactive activities, and
audio activities from native speakers.
Lexia is a digital resource designed to support
students in the Intensive English Program in
the acquisition and increasing English language
Intensive
English Lexia proficiency. Lexia is an adaptive blended
English ESOL $149,300.00
Learners Learning learning program that accelerates the
Grades 3-12 development of literacy skills for students of all
abilities, helping them make that critical shift
from learning to read to reading to learn.
EDMAT instructional resources are used to
support the Title III English Learner Summer
Enrichment Program, which is an extended
EDMAT year learning opportunity for English Learners
English
Company, Grades 1-12 ESOL at the Entering level of language proficiency. 205,014.00
Learners The EDMAT materials enhance the program’s
Inc
goal to develop English learners’ language
development for success in reading and
literacy through mathematics and science.
LAS Links is an online assessment of English
language proficiency (ELP) that is aligned with
the WIDA ELP standards. Newcomer English
Data learners (ELs) are assessed in reading, writing,
English Recognition Intensive speaking, and listening skills in social and
ESOL $340,894.00
Learners Corp. (DRC) English academic English. The assessment is used to
LAS Links monitor the language development progress
and determine readiness to transition from
Intensive English (IE) to the general ESOL
program.
ELLevation is a web-based platform designed
specifically for managing English learner (EL)
data and supporting educators. It consolidates
demographic and assessment of information
into a single, user-friendly dashboard, making
English Ellevation,
Grades 1-12 ESOL it much easier to access and monitor EL $514,000.00
Learners Inc student progress compared to traditional SIS
systems. The platform also enables the
creation of individualized language plans,
streamlining compliance, and instructional
planning for teachers.
Vista Higher Learning is a print and digital
resource used to support English learners (ELs)
in grades 4–12 with developing English
English Vista Higher language proficiency and academic language.
Grades 1-12 ESOL $74,922.89
Learners Learners These supplemental resources provide
students with opportunities to build academic
vocabulary, reading, writing, listening, and
speaking skills. These resources are used to
support the ESOL and Intensive English
program and are aligned to WIDA English
Language Development Standards and the
Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE).
English Learners Total $1,374,130.89