The State Awarded A $250K School Improvement Grant To DeKalb County

DEKALB COUNTY — The Georgia Department of Education is awarding $4.9 million in competitive grants to support school improvement efforts in 14 school districts and state charter schools, including the DeKalb County School District, according to a news release.

The DeKalb County School District has been awarded $258,916. The grants, which total $4,938,154, are designed to provide opportunities for schools identified for state support. The funding will help ensure that infrastructure and support systems for school leaders and families are provided.

“We continue to be laser-focused on providing the supports necessary for all schools to improve, including intensive and tailored supports for struggling schools,” said State School Superintendent Richard Woods in the release. “The SUCCESS Grants are part of our ‘all hands on deck’ approach to school improvement, providing additional resources as schools work to expand opportunities for students and ensure the best possible educational experience for every child.”

Awarded districts say they plan to use their grant funds to provide summer academic programming for students in grades 2-5, implement mobile science labs, purchase classroom libraries, offer teacher professional learning on instructional practices, create wraparound centers, expand 1-1 technology access, and more.

“We are so excited to collaborate with GaDOE Federal Programs and federal identified school districts to provide tiered and tailored support for specific subgroup needs,” said Deputy Superintendent for School Improvement Dr. Stephanie Johnson in a statement. “Implementation of the resources and strategies provided in the grant will help our schools to remove variability of learning among students. Our goal is for every child in Georgia to reach optimal success and have a positive learning experience that meets their needs every day.”

Under the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states are required to identify schools in need of additional support. GaDOE is committed to a school improvement process that gives all districts the support they need, and oversees a proactive, tiered and tailored system of supports with the Whole Child at the center. Rather than a siloed process, the entire agency works together to leverage resources and expertise to support all schools

Districts with at least one school identified for Comprehensive Support & Improvement (CSI) or Targeted Support & Improvement (TSI), or state charter schools identified for CSI or TSI, were eligible to apply for SUCCESS (School Improvement Supporting Unlimited Critical and Comprehensive Educational Success for Students) Grants.