DeKalb County School District, Georgia
| DeKalb County School District |
|---|
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| DeKalb County, Georgia |
| District details |
| Superintendent: Devon Horton |
| # of school board members: 7 |
| Website: Link |
DeKalb County School District is a school district in Georgia.
Click on the links below to learn more about the school district's...
- Superintendent
- School board
- Elections
- Budget
- Teacher salaries
- Academic performance
- Students
- Staff
- Schools
- Contact information
Superintendent
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This information is updated as we become aware of changes. Please contact us with any updates. |
Devon Horton is the superintendent of DeKalb County School District. Horton was appointed on April 19, 2023 and started serving on July 1, 2023. Horton's previous career experience includes serving as the superintendent of Evanston Community Consolidated School District 65.[1]
Past superintendents
- Dr. Vasanne S. Tinsley was the interim superintendent of the Dekalb County School District from 2022 until June 30, 2023.[1][2]
- Cheryl Watson-Harris was the superintendent of the Dekalb County School District from 2020 to 2022.
- Ramona Tyson was the interim superintendent of the DeKalb County School District from 2019 to 2020.
- R. Stephen Green was the superintendent of the DeKalb County School District from 2015 to 2019. Green's previous career experience included working as the superintendent of Kansas City Public Schools, an English teacher, and as the president and executive director of the New Jersey Teaching and Learning Collaborative.[3]
- Michael L. Thurmond was the superintendent of the DeKalb County School District from 2013 to 2015. Thurmond's previous career experience included working as a legislator in the Georgia House of Representatives and as the Georgia Commissioner of Labor.[4][5]
School board
The DeKalb County School District school board consists of seven members elected by district to four-year terms. The size of the school board shrunk from nine to seven seats as part of the 2014 election.[6]
| Office | Name | Date assumed office |
|---|---|---|
| DeKalb County School District school board District 1 | Andrew Ziffer | January 1, 2025 |
| DeKalb County School District school board District 2 | Whitney McGinniss | January 2, 2023 |
| DeKalb County School District school board District 3 | Deirdre Pierce | January 4, 2021 |
| DeKalb County School District school board District 4 | Allyson Gevertz | 2018 |
| DeKalb County School District school board District 5 | Tiffany Tate Hogan | January 1, 2025 |
| DeKalb County School District school board District 6 | Diijon Dacosta | 2018 |
| DeKalb County School District school board District 7 | Awet Eyasu | January 1, 2025 |
Elections
Members of the DeKalb County School District school board are elected to four-year terms. Three or four seats are up for election on a staggered basis in even-numbered years.
Four seats on the board were up for general election on May 21, 2024. A runoff election, if needed, was scheduled for June 18, 2024.
Ballotpedia covered school board elections in 367 school districts in 29 states in 2024. Those school districts had a total student enrollment of 12,203,404 students. Click here to read an analysis of those elections.
Join the conversation about school board politics
Public participation in board meetings
The DeKalb County School District school board maintains the following policy on public testimony during board meetings:[7]
The DeKalb County Board of Education encourages the public to be involved in public education. To facilitate public input, it is the intent of this policy that the Board shall conduct a monthly Community Meeting in accordance with the procedures below. The Community Meeting is intended to allow speakers to address issues before the Board or other subjects pertinent to the Board or the DeKalb County School District.
In order to assure that persons who wish to appear before the Board may be heard and, at the same time, allow the Board to conduct its meetings in an orderly and efficient manner, the Board adopts the following guidelines for the public comment portion of its meetings:
- The opportunity to provide public comment is limited to District parents, students, residents, employees, businesses, and organizations.
- Before addressing the Board, individuals are urged to seek a satisfactory solution to their concerns by following the proper staff and administrative channels.
- Individuals wishing to speak may submit a request in writing to the Board Office via letter, fax, or e-mail no later than 12:00 noon on the day of the Community Meeting. Such request shall include the individual’s name, address, topic to be addressed, previous steps taken to resolve the concern, and the group (if any) that the individual is representing. If an individual is unable to attend the meeting after signing up in advance, he/she may appoint a substitute speaker by calling the Board Office by noon of the meeting day.
- In addition, speakers may complete a Request to Comment card in person between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m. on the day of the meeting. Cards must be completely filled out, providing the information listed in the preceding paragraph.
- An organization may sign up to speak by designating a duly authorized spokesperson and one alternate, who may speak only if the primary spokesperson is unable to attend. By signing up and addressing the Board on behalf of an organization, the speaker is representing that he or she has been duly authorized by that organization to make the comments presented.
- Speakers shall have a maximum of three (3) minutes each and must stop speaking promptly when their time is up.
- To allow time for the Board's other business, the public comment period will be a maximum of one (1) hour or 20 speakers. At the Board’s discretion, the comment period may be extended for a specified amount of time or a specific number of additional speakers.
- To allow the Board to receive input from as many stakeholders as possible, individuals who speak during a Community Meeting one month may only speak at the next month’s meeting if there are spaces remaining after all non-repeating speakers have signed up.
- Speakers should be courteous and professional. Speakers may offer objective criticisms of school operations and programs, but the Board will not hear complaints about specific personnel or individuals connected with the District in a public session. Other channels provide a more appropriate forum for consideration and resolution of legitimate complaints involving individuals.
- Individuals will not be denied the opportunity to address the Board on the basis of their viewpoint. However, the Board will not allow abusive language, threats, comments, jeers, applause, or shouts from the floor. Disruptive persons will be asked to leave the meeting room. The presiding officer may terminate public comments that are profane, vulgar, defamatory, or disruptive.
- Speakers may not address confidential student or personnel matters, but may submit such concerns to the Superintendent in writing.
- Speakers are encouraged to provide the Board with a written copy of their comments and other appropriate supporting documentation.
- The Community Meeting is designed to gain input from the public and not for immediate responses by the Board. While the Board cannot assure each speaker of a specific or individualized response, the Board will consider the public comments and any supporting materials provided by speakers.
- In its discretion and as deemed appropriate, the Board may allow for public comment during Committee of the Whole meetings and, in such case, shall establish procedures for public participation. In addition to any applicable guidelines above, comments of speakers must be germane to the topic and issues before the Committee of the Whole.
District map
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[8]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $281,911,000 | $3,016 | 16% |
| Local: | $923,227,000 | $9,877 | 52% |
| State: | $585,383,000 | $6,263 | 33% |
| Total: | $1,790,521,000 | $19,155 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $1,515,411,000 | $16,212 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $1,457,579,000 | $15,593 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $863,459,000 | $9,237 | 57% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $147,768,000 | $1,580 | 10% |
| Administration: | $186,045,000 | $1,990 | 12% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $260,307,000 | $2,784 | 17% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $51,638,000 | $552 | |
| Construction: | $37,673,000 | $403 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $945,000 | $10 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $5,249,000 | $56 |
Teacher salaries
The following salary information was pulled from the district's teacher salary schedule. A salary schedule is a list of expected compensations based on variables such as position, years employed, and education level. It may not reflect actual teacher salaries in the district.
| Year | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|
| 2024-2025[9] | $60,000 | $113,000 |
| 2020-2021[10] | $49,401 | $95,535 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements.[11]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 19 | 38 | 10 | 9 | 15-19 | 35 | 56 |
| 2018-2019 | 31 | 53 | 23 | 26 | 25-29 | 48 | 73 |
| 2017-2018 | 30 | 48 | 21 | 25 | 30-34 | 49 | 71 |
| 2016-2017 | 29 | 46 | 21 | 23 | 25-29 | 46 | 71 |
| 2015-2016 | 27 | 43 | 19 | 23 | 25-29 | 43 | 71 |
| 2014-2015 | 26 | 42 | 19 | 21 | 25-29 | 38 | 67 |
| 2013-2014 | 68 | 72 | 63 | 68 | 65-69 | 78 | 92 |
| 2012-2013 | 71 | 74 | 67 | 74 | 80-84 | 84 | 94 |
| 2011-2012 | 73 | 73 | 70 | 77 | 80-84 | 82 | 92 |
| 2010-2011 | 74 | 71 | 71 | 75 | 80-84 | 85 | 93 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 28 | 40 | 21 | 15 | 20-24 | 52 | 68 |
| 2018-2019 | 35 | 48 | 29 | 26 | 35-39 | 56 | 77 |
| 2017-2018 | 32 | 41 | 26 | 23 | 25-29 | 52 | 74 |
| 2016-2017 | 33 | 42 | 26 | 23 | 30-34 | 52 | 76 |
| 2015-2016 | 32 | 41 | 26 | 24 | 35-39 | 50 | 76 |
| 2014-2015 | 32 | 44 | 25 | 23 | 35-39 | 48 | 73 |
| 2013-2014 | 91 | 82 | 90 | 91 | >=95 | 96 | 98 |
| 2012-2013 | 90 | 78 | 89 | 90 | 90-94 | 96 | 98 |
| 2011-2012 | 89 | 77 | 89 | 91 | 90-94 | 95 | 98 |
| 2010-2011 | 85 | 73 | 85 | 85 | 85-89 | 92 | 96 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 76 | 78 | 77 | 61 | 40-59 | 80-84 | 90 |
| 2018-2019 | 73 | 71 | 74 | 60 | 60-79 | 75-79 | 91 |
| 2017-2018 | 75 | 69 | 76 | 63 | 60-79 | 75-79 | 88 |
| 2016-2017 | 74 | 73 | 73 | 64 | 80-84 | 89 | |
| 2015-2016 | 70 | 65 | 70 | 64 | 60-79 | 70-74 | 87 |
| 2014-2015 | 71 | 65 | 71 | 58 | >=50 | 75-79 | 85 |
| 2013-2014 | 62 | 54 | 62 | 49 | 80-84 | 83 | |
| 2012-2013 | 59 | 48 | 59 | 46 | >=50 | 65-69 | 77 |
| 2011-2012 | 57 | 53 | 57 | 47 | >=50 | 50-54 | 73 |
| 2010-2011 | 59 | 60-64 | 58 | 47 | 40-59 | 60-64 | 71 |
Students
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2023-2024 | 91,398 | -1.1 |
| 2022-2023 | 92,368 | -1.2 |
| 2021-2022 | 93,473 | 0.0 |
| 2020-2021 | 93,470 | -5.7 |
| 2019-2020 | 98,800 | -0.4 |
| 2018-2019 | 99,166 | -1.0 |
| 2017-2018 | 100,144 | -1.1 |
| 2016-2017 | 101,284 | -0.1 |
| 2015-2016 | 101,389 | 0.3 |
| 2014-2015 | 101,103 | 1.7 |
| 2013-2014 | 99,388 | 0.5 |
| 2012-2013 | 98,910 | 0.8 |
| 2011-2012 | 98,088 | 0.0 |
| 2010-2011 | 98,115 | -1.3 |
| 2009-2010 | 99,406 | -0.4 |
| 2008-2009 | 99,775 | -0.5 |
| 2007-2008 | 100,273 | -1.1 |
| 2006-2007 | 101,396 | -0.9 |
| 2005-2006 | 102,310 | 2.3 |
| 2004-2005 | 99,986 | 0.4 |
| 2003-2004 | 99,550 | 1.6 |
| 2002-2003 | 97,967 | 0.5 |
| 2001-2002 | 97,501 | 1.6 |
| 2000-2001 | 95,958 | 0.7 |
| 1999-2000 | 95,283 | 0.0 |
| RACE | DeKalb County School District (%) | Georgia K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.4 | 0.2 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 6.5 | 4.9 |
| Black | 56.4 | 36.2 |
| Hispanic | 22.4 | 18.8 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.1 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 3.1 | 4.8 |
| White | 11.1 | 35.0 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
As of the 2023-2024 school year, DeKalb County School District had 6,360.00 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 14.37.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 177.00 |
| Kindergarten: | 317.80 |
| Elementary: | 2,230.10 |
| Secondary: | 2,369.10 |
| Total: | 6,360.00 |
DeKalb County School District employed 121.00 district administrators and 397.00 school administrators as of the 2023-2024 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 121.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 183.50 |
| School Administrators: | 397.00 |
| School Administrative Support: | 486.40 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 1,393.90 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 351.40 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 296.90 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 127.40 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 169.50 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 126.70 |
| Library/Media Support: | 118.30 |
| Student Support Services: | 591.10 |
| Other Support Services: | 2,729.20 |
Schools
Noteworthy events
2019: Superintendent terminated
On November 11, 2019, the DeKalb County Board of Education voted 6-1 to terminate Superintendent R. Stephen Green. Green, who was hired by the board in 2015, had announced earlier in 2019 that he intended to leave his position after the 2019-2020 school year. According to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "Green was called a change agent when he first arrived, but results have been mixed under his leadership. The district boasts its highest graduation rate, but standardized test scores have been flat, and teacher turnover continues at the highest rate among metro Atlanta school districts."[12]
2013: School board members removed
After the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) audited the school district and discovered issues with board governance, unethical practices, and fiscal mismanagement, the organization placed DeKalb County School District on accredited probation status. An investigation by the Georgia Department of Education led to the state board of education recommending significant alterations to the district leadership and administration.[13]
In February 2013, Governor Nathan Deal followed the recommendation of the state board of education and removed six members of the DeKalb Board of Education from office. On March 13, 2013, Governor Deal announced the appointment of six new members to fill the vacant seats. On January 21, 2014, SACS announced that the district was no longer under probation and moved it up to accreditation warned status.[14][15]
Contact information
DeKalb County School District
1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd.
Stone Mountain, GA 30083
Phone: 678-676-1200
About school boards
Education legislation in Georgia
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| Georgia | School Board Elections | News and Analysis |
|---|---|---|
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External links
- Search Google News for this topic
- DeKalb County School District
- Georgia Department of Education
- Georgia School Boards Association
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 DeKalb County School District, "Dr. Horton Confirmed As Next Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools," accessed September 25, 2023
- ↑ Dekalb County School District, "Superintendent," accessed June 1, 2022
- ↑ DeKalb County School District, "Superintendent," accessed October 28, 2019
- ↑ DeKalb County School District, "Superintendent," accessed July 6, 2014
- ↑ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "DeKalb Superintendent Atkinson replaced by former Georgia labor commissioner," March 5, 2013
- ↑ DeKalb County School District, "Board of Education," accessed July 6, 2014
- ↑ DeKalb County School District, "Policy BCBI: Public Participation in Board Meetings," accessed July 6, 2014
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed October 6, 2025
- ↑ DeKalb County School District, "2024-2025 Teacher Salary Schedule," accessed April 23, 2025
- ↑ DeKalb County School District, "2020-2021 Teacher Salary Schedule," accessed July 20, 2021
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, "DeKalb school board speeds exit of Superintendent Steve Green," November 11, 2019
- ↑ Patch.com, "Gov. Deal Suspends Six DeKalb School Board Members," February 25, 2013
- ↑ The Augusta Chronicle, "Deal praises DeKalb County schools, no longer on probation," January 21, 2014
- ↑ Governor Nathan Deal - Office of the Governor, "Deal names new members of DeKalb County school board," March 13, 2013
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