BEI Yr 8 Application - IGNITE DeKalb County School District Teacher Residency Program - 3. Budg

AID 2039624 · View on Simbli

Agenda Item

i. Boundless Educator's Initiative (BEI) Ignite Teachers Residency Grant ($130,000)

Summary: Presented by: Dr. Cherisse M. Campbell, Chief of Community Engagement & Innovative Partnerships, Division of Community Engagement & Innovative Partnerships
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education accept the BEI IGNITE Teacher Residency Grant Award for $130,000, funded through the Boundless Educators Initiative (BEI), to provide financial support for the IGNITE DeKalb County School District Teacher Residency Program during the 2026-27 school year.
Why: Approving this grant will strengthen DCSD’s teacher pipeline by expanding financial, certification, wellness, and post-residency supports for IGNITE residents. The award reduces barriers to completion, supports early-career teacher retention, and helps prepare educators who reflect and understand DeKalb’s students and communities.
Details: The $130,000 BEI award will expand IGNITE’s teacher residency through resident financial support, GACE preparation, wellness programming, alumni engagement, and post-residency mentoring. These initiatives are expected to reduce barriers to completion, strengthen certification readiness, and improve early-career retention among educators who reflect DeKalb’s communities.
Financial impact: There is no cost to the District or to accept the donated funds from BEI.
Contact: Dr. Cherisse M. Campbell, Chief of Community Engagement & Innovative Partnerships, Division of Community Engagement & Innovative Partnerships, 678-676-0409,
Ms. Carina Harrigan, Director of IGNITE Teacher Residency, Division of Human Resources, 678-676-0385
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by Office of Legal Affairs
Please do not make additional copies or add                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Actual Spending as of 11/28/25                                                             Actual Spending as of 4/24/27
rows/columns to the spreadsheet.                                                                           Requested Budget                                                                                                Award Budget

                                                                                                              Proposed Total Spend (BEI and


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        MID-YEAR REPORT                                                                            END-YEAR REPORT
                                                                                                                    all other dollars)                                                                                            Total Spend Budget
                                                                                                                                                                        Rationale
                                                                                                              These are the total amounts your program                                                                     These are the total amounts your program
                                                                                                                 spends or expects to spend on these                                                                          spends or expects to spend on these



                                                                                PROPOSAL
                                                                                                               expense categories with ALL sources of                                                                       expense categories with ALL sources of
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 Rationale                                                                   Actual Total                                                                              Actual Total


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Due 12/12/25                                                                                Due 5/8/26
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Actual            Spend (BEI                                                               Actual           Spend (BEI

                                                                                                                                                                                                    AWARD
                                                                                                              funding, both BEI and other. This helps us    Please include a detailed explanation                          funding, both BEI and other. This helps us


                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             NOTES
                                                                                                              understand how BEI funding is combined            of cost breakdowns including                               understand how BEI funding is combined          Please include a detailed explanation of cost breakdowns
                                                                                            Requested         with other funding sources, and gives us a    estimated cost per resident, spending                          with other funding sources, and gives us a     including estimated cost per resident, spending categories,
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Spending of        and all other    % Variance     % Variance                              Spending of       and all other     % Variance    % Variance
                       Expense Category                                    25              Award Budget        better idea of total program cost overall.               categories, etc.                    Award Budget    better idea of total program cost overall.                                etc.                                                  Award              dollars) [1]     Award        Total Spend   Notes                       Award            dollars) [2]       Award       Total Spend   Notes
Direct Support to Residents
  School Year 26-27
      Resident Scholarships                                                                                                                  1,033,820                                                                                                    1,033,820
      Resident Stipends                                                                                                                     1,350,000                                                                                                     1,350,000
      Healthcare                                                                                                                                        0                                                                                                            0
        Childcare                                                                                                                                       0                                                                                                            0
                                                                                                                                                         $11,520 - $259 per resident
                                                                                                                                                         for 45 residents; $6,750 for
                                                                                                                                                           10 months of 240 tutoring                                                                                       $11,520 - $259 per resident for 45 residents;
                                                                                                                                                        subscription ($15/month x 45                                                                                               $6,750 for 10 months of 240 tutoring
        Testing/Licensure Support                                                                 18,405                                         18,405                     residents)                            18,405                                      18,405             subscription ($15/month x 45 residents)
        Transportation                                                                                                                                  0                                                                                                            0
                                                                                                                                                                 $16,200: Talkspace
                                                                                                                                                       ($30/month x 45 residents, 1
                                                                                                                                                       year) includes 2 monthly live                                                                                                $16,200: Talkspace ($30/month x 45
                                                                                                                                                         sessions with a dedicated                                                                                              residents, 1 year) includes 2 monthly live
      Other Direct Supports to Residents                                                                                                                 therapist; $5400: $120 for                                                                                         sessions with a dedicated therapist; $5400:
                                                                                                                                                      graduation cap and gown per                                                                                                 $120 for graduation cap and gown per
Any other financial benefit paid directly to the resident or covering an
expense the resident would otherwise have to pay. Common examples:
                                                                                                                                                          resident for 45 residents;                                                                                         resident for 45 residents; $12,750: books &
books and materials, technology needs, mental health supports, etc.                               34,350                                        34,350 $12,750: books & materials                                 34,350                                      34,350                                           materials
                                                                                                                                                           $500 per resident for 45
                                                                                                                                                       residents to reduce stress of                                                                                      $500 per resident for 45 residents to reduce
  Emergency Fund                                                                                 22,500                                         22,500 unexpected financial barriers                              22,500                                     22,500             stress of unexpected financial barriers
  TOTAL DIRECT SUPPORT                                                                           75,255                                    2,459,075                                                              75,255                                 2,459,075                                                                                                      0                 0                                                                        0                 0
      Direct Support as % of TOTAL ( ≥ 60% )                                                       50.2%                                          91.6%                                                            57.9%                                       91.6%


Supplemental Recruitment, Preparation, and Retention Support
  Future/ Pre-Resident Supports
                                                                                                                                                            Swag, printed material, social
  Recruitment Expenses                                                                              900                                             300                             media                          1,040                                          300                 Swag, printed material, social media
  Mentor Stipends                                                                                                                             225,000                                                                                                       225,000
                                                                                                                                                            $1,100: books & resources
                                                                                                                                                          $900: snacks during Mentor
                                                                                                                                                                Teachers Bridge Week                                                                                            $1,100: books & resources $900: snacks
                                                                                                                                                                 Professional Learning                                                                                             during Mentor Teachers Bridge Week
  Mentor Support & Training                                                                        2,000                                                0                     sessions                             2,000                                             0                    Professional Learning sessions
                                                                                                                                                           Meals/Snacks for residents
                                                                                                                                                          during monthly Bridge Week
                                                                                                                                                                 Professional Learning                                                                                      Meals/Snacks for residents during monthly
  Curriculum & Programming                                                                         4,625                                                0                      sessions                            4,625                                             0     Bridge Week Professional Learning sessions
  Affinity Groups
  Residency Staffing and Salaries
(intended to partially support salaries/retention)
                                                                                                                                                            $2,500: Lead Alumni Stipend
                                                                                                                                                               (1 selected alumni), $7,000:
                                                                                                                                                            Alumni Network Kickoff Event
                                                                                                                                                                  (post residency support),
                                                                                                                                                                       $41,920: Stipends for
                                                                                                                                                            attendance at evening 2-hour
                                                                                                                                                                        quarterly sessions &                                                                                   $2,500: Lead Alumni Stipend (1 selected
                                                                                                                                                                 refreshments (131 alumni),                                                                                     alumni), $7,000: Alumni Network Kickoff
                                                                                                                                                                    $5,000: social event for                                                                                   Event (post residency support), $23,580:
                                                                                                                                                                alumni reengagement and                                                                                      Stipends for attendance at evening 2-hour
                                                                                                                                                                      connection to current                                                                              quarterly sessions & refreshments (131 alumni),
                                                                                                                                                            residents), $9,000: classroom                                                                                                $5,000: social event for alumni
                                                                                                                                                             setup stipend ($200/resident                                                                                     reengagement and connection to current
                                                                                                                                                                   for 45 residents), $1,800                                                                               residents), $9,000: classroom setup stipend
  Induction & Post-residency Support                                                              67,220                                                                books ($45/resident)                      47,080                                                                 ($200/resident for 45 residents)
  TOTAL SUPPLEMENTAL SUPPORT                                                                      74,745                                      225,300                                                             54,745                                   225,300                                                                                                      0                 0                                                                        0                 0
      Supplemental as % of TOTAL                                                                   49.8%                                           8.4%                                                            42.1%                                         8.4%


Indirect
   Indirect (up to 7.5% of direct costs [total Direct
Support + total Supplemental Support]) [3]                                      0.07
  TOTAL INDIRECT                                                                                          0                                             0                                                              0                                             0                                                                                                  0                 0                                                                        0                 0
                                                                                                    0.0%                                           0.0%                                                             0.0%                                         0.0%


  TOTAL                                                                                         150,000                                    2,684,375                                                             130,000                                 2,684,375                                                                                                      0                 0                                                                        0                 0


REQUIRED: Year 8 of BEI is intended to support teacher residents from historically underrepresented communities who reflect the students and communities they will serve.
In the section below, please indicate the number of residents who meet this definition at each stage of the pipeline - applicants, admitted candidates, enrolled residents, and graduates - by cohort. Where actual numbers are available, please provide them. If actuals are not yet available, enter projected numbers based on your goals for the BEI grant period.


Supported Educators                                                                        Beginning of                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Mid-year            Actual or                                                              End-year            Actual or
                                                                                           Year #                     Actual or Expected                                                                                                                                                                                                                  update              Expected                                                               update              Expected
      Future Residents
(People who are being supported to meet the requirements to begin in
the residency program at a later date)                                                                    0                    Actual
      SY25-26 Graduates                                                                               44                     Expected
      SY24-25 Graduates                                                                               87                       Actual


SY26-27 Residents
      Applicants                                                                                     172                       Actual
      Admitted Applicants                                                                             50                       Actual
      Enrolled Residents                                                                              45                     Expected
[1] These are the total amounts your program spends or expects to spend on these expense categories (aka, interventions) with ALL sources of
funding, both BEI and other.

[2] These are the total amounts your program spends or expects to spend on these expense categories (aka, interventions) with ALL sources of
funding, both BEI and other.

[3] Calculated at 7% of the Total Direct plus Total Supplemental.