Agenda Item
d. Curriculum Adoption Process and New Social Studies Resources ~ Updated 7.13.2026
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Sean Tartt, Acting Chief Academic Officer, Division of Teaching & Learning, and
Rose Prejean-Harris, Ph.D., Assistant Superintendent 6-12, Division of Teaching & Learning
DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Social Studies Instructional
Resource Adoption
Board Presentation & Recommendation for Adoption
Presented by
Dr. Sean R. Tartt | Dr. Rose Prejean-Harris | Dr. Victoria Anderson
Division of Teaching & Learning | July 13, 2026
2
3
DEKALB COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
Instructional Resource Adoption Process
Committee Rubric Intensive Community Final Reporting
Formation Vetting Vendor Audits Feedback & Approval
• Recruit certified • Establish • Host 60-minute • Advertise the • Integrate
teachers via foundational deep-dive vendor public/ community committee findings
District-wide alignment to State presentations and review via media and public data into
NewsFlash. and National Q&A sessions. outlets. a unified report.
content
• Establish diverse • Verify technical • Provide access to • Submit selection
standards.
teacher review compliance with digital resources dossier to the Chief
panels • Evaluate physical DCSD IT security and establish Academic Officer.
(experience, and digital specifications. physical
• Present the final
ethnicity, content resources via weekend/evening
• Evaluate materials recommendation to
expertise). secured review viewing hours.
for evidence-based Superintendent and
links.
• Train selected research and • Collect and Board for adoption.
teachers on • Identify top two differentiated synthesize public
rubric, District- contenders based support. comments and
wide academic on completed feedback survey
goals, and rubrics and data.
Resource teacher feedback.
Adoption
protocols.
Adheres to Board Policies: DJE, DJEG, & IFA
4
Instructional Resource Adoption
Alignment with Georgia School Districts
DeKalb County Fulton County Atlanta Public Richmond County Griffin-Spalding
Adoption Criterion
Schools Schools Schools Schools Schools
Standards Integration
Two-Tiered Filtering
Public Transparency
IT & Technical Vetting
Differentiated Support
Board Approval Pipeline
5
6
Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE)
The Georgia Standards of Excellence establish the knowledge, skills,
and understandings students are expected to learn at each grade level
and course.
Teacher Notes
Instructional guidance developed by the Georgia Department of
Education that provides context, content support, suggested
approaches, and additional resources to help teachers effectively
teach the Georgia Standards of Excellence.
7
District Curriculum
A standards-aligned instructional framework
developed by the district that organizes learning
expectations, instructional resources, assessments, and
learning experiences to support consistent, high-quality
instruction for all students.
8
Resource (e.g., textbooks, consumables, etc.)
Provides content, context, and perspectives that
support student understanding and reinforce
standards-based instruction.
9
10
11
K-12 Social Studies Curriculum Training Pipeline
01 02 03 04 05
GaDOE
Pacing & GSE Content Depth SWIRL Literacy PLC Synthesis
Instructional
Alignment & Boundaries Framework Integration & Planning
Establish yearly Utilize resources to Structure inquiry- Incorporate Collaborative grade-
pacing and map define core driven lessons built deliberate checks level teams co-create
instructional historical around the four key where students daily plans by
timelines directly to boundaries. Ground dimensions required consistently process systematically
state expectations. sensitive topics by the state and demonstrate synthesizing all core
Prevent pacing drift objectively within Instructional knowledge: materials into
across classrooms. state-vetted Framework: actionable practices:
historical context.
✓ District CAAGs & GSE
➢ Speaking ✓ GaDOE Teacher Notes
➢ Writing ✓ 2025 Instructional Framework
➢ Interacting/Illustrating ✓ SWIRL Skills
➢ Reading ✓ Textbook & Resources
➢ Listening
12
CLOSING SUMMARY
Key Takeaways for the Board
1 A Rigorous, Policy-Aligned Process
Five stages, Committee Formation through Final Reporting, fully aligned to Board
Policies DJE, DJEG, and IFA.
2 Standards, Not a Single Source, Guide Instruction
The Georgia Standards of Excellence, GaDOE Teacher Notes, and District
Curriculum work together, not in isolation, to guide every classroom.
3 No Resource Tells the Full Story Alone
We pair the adopted resource with teacher capacity-building to check bias, using
district-created units that ensure multiple perspectives are taught alongside it.
4 A Training Pipeline Carries This Into Every Classroom
Pacing, content boundaries, the GaDOE Instructional Framework, SWIRL literacy,
and PLC planning turn the resource into consistent daily practice, K-12.
Adheres to Board Policies: DJE, DJEG, & IFA 13
Thank You
Questions & Discussion
DeKalb County School District | Division of Teaching & Learning
14