Bulletin Board

The City Schools of Decatur Board of Education meeting recap newsletter is shared after each regularly scheduled monthly meeting. The November board meeting was held on November 10, 2026.

Meeting Agendas:

Pre-Work Session

Work Session

Regular Meeting

The recording, which includes the pre-work session, work session, regular meeting, and public comment, is available here.

Dr. Carmen Sulton, Chair

Mr. Hans Utz, Vice Chair

Ms. Lorraine Irier, Board Member

Mr. James Herndon, Board Member

Ms. Tracey Anderson, Board Member

Zoe Smith, Student Board Representative (not pictured)

The board recognitions began with Decatur High School seniors Rheece Davidson and Sanai Marshall, who have earned leadership roles while participating in Dual Enrollment at Georgia Piedmont Technical College. Rheece represented the more than 1,000 Dual Enrollment students at GPTC's annual fundraising event, the "Masked Soiree," where she delivered a speech sharing her experiences in Dual Enrollment and its impact on her growth.

Our second Dual Enrollment student leader is Sanai Marshall, who is part of GPTC's Student Government Association, PRIDE, which is an acronym for 'Peers Representing Innovation, Dedication, and Excellence.' PRIDE gives Dual Enrollment students a real voice in their college experience through peer advocacy, leadership development, and career readiness. The founding cohort comprises students from the DeKalb, Newton, and Rockdale school systems, and Sanai was selected from a competitive applicant pool to join the cohort.

As PRIDE members, students meet with the Dual Enrollment team monthly, participate in leadership and career workshops, contribute to community service projects, and bring their peers' questions and concerns directly to the GPTC administration.

The CSD Special Education team, within the Student Services and Support division, has been awarded the prestigious 2026 Educator Team Everyday Champion Award and a $5,000 scholarship from the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD). This national honor recognizes educators who consistently promote inclusivity and neurodiversity, personalize learning, and build strong, trusting relationships with students and families. The CSD Special Education team made history by being the first-ever recipient of this award.

Led by Director of Special Education Michelle Lowe, the special education district team has worked collaboratively across all CSD schools to continually refine personalized instruction tailored to each student's needs.

A few examples of the Special Education team's success include:

• CSD students with IEPs exceeded academic achievement targets, showing gains on Georgia Milestones assessments across eight of 11 subjects, including a nearly 50% increase in algebra proficiency. Algebra is the greatest predictor of success in high school. The district also made notable progress in Closing Gaps on Georgia's College and Career Ready Performance Index in 2025.

• This team has expanded inclusive opportunities for students with disabilities by hosting annual districtwide events such as Special Olympics and the "Yes, I Can!" student awards.

• Additionally, the Special Education team is directly responsible for expanding Decatur High School's postsecondary preparation options through collaborations with the Decatur Career Academy's Enterprise Workforce Readiness Program, the district's Transition Fairs, and community-based work training programs such as CSD's first STEPS class, which stands for Skills for Transition, Employment, and Postsecondary Success.

We commend the Special Education team's achievement and receipt of this national recognition, which further reflects CSD's commitment to "All Means All" by empowering students with disabilities to succeed in school and in their postsecondary pursuits.

The Winnona Park Spanish program embraces many EL principles, such as collaboration and competition, success and failure, and diversity and inclusion. Sra. Lisset Rodes instruction is engaging, relevant, and fun. Each week, students learn and sing a different Spanish song during Community Circle. Songs cover many curriculum topics, such as greetings, feelings, family members, animals, and food. Students learn over 30 songs as they matriculate throughout the Winnona Park Spanish program. Topics from the wider curriculum are also integrated into Spanish instruction. Sra. Rodes' Spanish program fills the Wildcats with joy and pride as they showcase their language skills. Their accomplishments will shape their continued language learning over the years.

To see this joy in action, please click here.

Congratulations to Principal Meagan Ferguson and Sra. Lisset Rodes on this recognition. We appreciate your commitment to ensuring that our students have a robust Spanish program.

Recommendation 1:

Approval of contractual modification and resolution agreement with Dr. Gyimah Whitaker and the Board of Education effective December 31, 2026.

Recommendation 2:

Approval of the contract of employment for the Interim Superintendent Karen Newton-Scott and the Board of Education for the term of 18 months starting January 1, 2027.

Dr. Whitaker's Statement:
I want to start by expressing my heartfelt thanks for the honor and privilege of serving as your superintendent and for the opportunity to advance the mission and vision of the City Schools of Decatur.

When I began my tenure, I shared quite often that I consider City Schools of Decatur to be a GEM - unique, hard to find, and a rare and exceptional beacon of excellence. CSD already had a reputation for high achievement. I committed to making CSD an even higher-achieving district by refocusing our efforts on student outcomes, all students, reimagining what education could look like to address their diverse needs, and fostering an environment where ALL students graduate future-ready, feeling safe, seen, and successful.

This idea of CSD being a GEM would shape my entry plan and ongoing engagement with hundreds of key stakeholders across the district, including students, staff, families, community members, and business leaders, to gather information and envision a forward-thinking plan that would incorporate the feedback and ultimately maximize results. This concept also aligned seamlessly with our district's new five-year strategic plan, "All IN Decatur," which provided a roadmap to maximize student outcomes from cradle to career.

Each phase was designed to do exactly what the board members in 2023 had hired me to do: refine our efforts around organizational leadership, communication, and instructional leadership, particularly in the areas of building an infrastructure that would establish the conditions for building the capacity of the adult leaders in our district, closing the achievement gap and enhancing literacy to sustain positive outcomes for all students.

As we enter the fourth year of the district's strategic plan, CSD continues to set the gold standard for public education in Georgia. Achievement across CSD isn't just about data averages but about outcomes for all students. And thanks to the unwavering dedication of our school leaders, teachers, and staff. ALL students in CSD, at ALL levels, ARE achieving.

We are now ranked among the top three school districts in the state, with students performing in first or second place on state assessments across all grade bands. Further, CSD earned the highest College and Career Ready Performance Index score not only in the state but also in our district's history. Just as important, our graduation rate has reached 96 percent, more than a 2.5% increase over the previous four years. The most significant improvement is the meaningful progress and double-digit systemwide academic success among historically underserved student groups.

Since FY24, we have collaborated with the board to enhance student voice by adding the state's first student representative to the Board of Education. Additionally, we have approved salary increases at all certification levels, marking some of the most significant compensation investments in the last decade. I am also proud to report that, as the nation struggles with teacher shortages, we have established a "grow your own" pipeline.

CSD is also consistently recognized nationally for communications and finance, with finance earning the highest bond rating possible for a district of our size and receiving clean audits, achieving a 2% variance between budgeted and actual amounts, reflecting careful, responsible financial management.

CSD has also aligned its sustainability work covering energy efficiency, renewable power, and waste reduction with the City of Decatur's priorities. CSD is the first public K-12 school system in Georgia to enter into a Solar Energy Procurement Agreement.

This is growth.

This is closing the achievement gap.
This is targeted intervention.
This is what happens when you believe in student success for ALL students and back that belief with action.

And THIS was the work I was hired to do.

Our work in CSD not only serves as a beacon but also an aspirational roadmap for education leaders across the nation, who frequently greet me with one question: How did you do it in such a short time?

At my core, I am a teacher who evolved into a leader. For over two decades, I have been committed to improving access to exceptional education and creating sustainable outcomes for every student. My core values as a leader—equity, leadership, and engagement—have guided my professional journey and will continue to do so as I transition to enhancing student outcomes nationally.

City Schools of Decatur is a special place, defined by a diverse community with shared pride in our schools. I thank the Board of Education for entrusting me with your GEM and allowing me the opportunity to make it shine with an even higher level of brilliance, where all truly means all.

Chair's Statement:

As Dr. Whitaker prepares to conclude her service to our school district, we want to

express our heartfelt gratitude for her dedication, leadership, and commitment to our

school community.

Serving as the Superintendent is both a tremendous responsibility and a deeply personal commitment. It requires countless hours, difficult decisions, and a genuine investment in the lives of students, the work of educators, and the success of the community as a whole.

Dr. Whitaker's work has resulted in increased student achievement, professional

development of administrators and staff, and implementation of much-needed processes

and procedures. Dr. Whitaker has done everything this Board asked of her when we

hired her. We recognize and appreciate the time, energy, and effort Dr. Whitaker has

devoted to our district and the important role she has played in serving our students, staff,

and families. We wish Dr. Whitaker the very best in the next chapter of her life and

professional career.

Transitions are a natural part of any organization's journey, but we, the Board of

Education, remain committed to working together to advance our District's mission and to

providing every student with the opportunities and support they need to succeed. In order

to help us continue that mission, Deputy Superintendent Karen Newton Scott has agreed

to serve as the Interim Superintendent for a period of 18 months through June 30, 2028. During that time, the board will engage in a search for a new Superintendent. Ms.

Newton-Scott has served as the Deputy Superintendent under Dr. Whitaker, and the

Board is confident in her ability to provide a seamless transition, support the staff, and

continue the work of student success in this district.

On behalf of the City Schools of Decatur Board of Education, thank you for joining us, both in person and virtually, for our November meeting.

During today's pre-work session, we continued our book study on The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything by Stephen M.R. Covey. Pre-work also included a review of the initial drafts of student policies and public participation in board meetings.

There were three presentations during the work session. The first was on student enrollment. The presentation also explained how Georgia calculates FTE for Quality Basic Education (QBE) funding and provided a comparison of state funding over the past three years. The next presentation was on Budget Parameters and Priorities as we begin to develop them for FY2028. Fiscal Year budget parameters and priorities serve as guidelines for developing the annual budget and ensuring equitable allocation of funds aligned with the district's priorities. Several options for the 28-29 Academic Calendar were provided during the final presentation for the board's review. Academic calendars are adopted annually, approximately 1.5 years in advance.*

Following the presentations, four policies related to instructional programming and the use of school facilities were recommended for first read.*

Last month, our school community hosted a variety of events and celebrations to honor Hispanic Heritage Month and Diwali. In November, we observe Native American Heritage Month, acknowledging the contributions of Indigenous people, including Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and their affiliated Island communities.

In addition to recognizing our school psychologists and education support professionals, we join the City of Decatur and the entire community in celebrating Crossing Guard Appreciation Week. In nearly all weather conditions and amid a variety of unexpected safety situations, crossing guards are dedicated to keeping CSD kids safe on their way to and from school and to supporting community events. Please take a moment to show your gratitude to these hardworking professionals.

During our board recognitions, we recognized two Decatur High School seniors who have earned leadership roles while participating in Dual Enrollment at Georgia Piedmont Technical College, and the CSD Special Education team, within the Student Services and Support division, for being awarded the prestigious 2026 Educator Team Everyday Champion Award from the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD). We also applauded the robust Spanish program at Winnona Park.

This evening, we also want to applaud the Beacon Hill Boys' Soccer Team on being Atlanta Middle School Soccer League Champions. And to the DHS Cross Country girls' team, who are headed to state after securing the Region championship. And to the boys' team for being runner-up. Congratulations to all of our students.

Finally, we want to thank the voters of DeKalb County for approving the SPLOST VII referendum on November 3 with an overwhelming 81.02% of the vote. DeKalb County voters have consistently renewed the Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (E-SPLOST) since 1997 as a community investment in the future of students and public education. As a reminder, E-SPLOST is specifically allocated for capital projects such as buildings, technology, and equipment, and cannot be used for routine operational expenses, such as salaries and benefits.

The next board retreat will be held next Tuesday, November 17, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Decatur Conference Center.

That concludes my remarks for this evening.

*Due to an agenda adjustment and time constraints, the 2028–2029 Academic Calendar presentation and the policies scheduled for first read were moved from the Work Session to be discussed later during the Regular Meeting.

Good evening, CSD.

This week, we unite with the nation in expressing our heartfelt gratitude to American veterans for their courage, commitment, and sacrifices made in service to our country. Throughout this month, CSD and school districts are honoring the invaluable contributions of our school psychologists and support professionals. Thank you for your dedication.

We will also celebrate American Education Week, which emphasizes the transformative impact of public education on students' lives across the nation. Additionally, we acknowledge the essential role of our parents and families in fostering their children's education and well-being.

Tonight, we are very proud to announce the results of the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test, otherwise known as the PSAT, and of the SAT and ACT for the class of 2026.

But beyond the scores, I want to focus on three things: what we're learning about students' academic strengths and needs, how we're expanding access to college-readiness opportunities, and how we're using this information to strengthen instruction.

This work connects directly to our strategic priority of Student Success in All Areas.

We want students to graduate with options, whether that's college, technical education, military service, or the workforce.

Our approach is to provide broad access to college-readiness assessments while using the results to identify where students may benefit from additional support.

To understand why we review the outcomes of these assessments so closely, let's look at the College Board's SAT Suite framework. In the past, without a connected system, readiness signals often came too late. A student might not receive a clear signal until grade 11, leaving little or no time to adjust coursework or provide meaningful intervention.

By implementing the SAT Suite of Assessments, we build an early insight runway. The PSAT 8/9 sets our initial readiness baseline. I remember early conversations with Board Member Anderson asking why we don't give the PSAT 8/9, and now we have had two administrations. The PSAT 10 and PSAT/NMSQT allow us to monitor progress and actively inform our classroom instruction continuously. This intentional sequence ensures that by the time students take the SAT in grades 11 and 12, it is a final, confident measure of their postsecondary readiness.

Parents and students frequently ask us, "Which test is right for my student?" While both are widely accepted college admissions exams, they feature key structural differences:

• The SAT measures academic reasoning and problem-solving through Reading, Writing, and Math. It runs for about 2 hours and 14 minutes, offering roughly 1 minute and 10 seconds per question. It is a strong fit for students who prefer analytical reasoning and appreciate having extra time to think through problems.

• The ACT measures subject-matter knowledge and real-world application across English, Reading, Math, and Science. It runs about 2 hours and 55 minutes. It moves at a much faster pace, around 49 seconds per question, making it ideal for students who thrive in fast-paced environments and feel confident applying content directly.

Importantly, we encourage our students to explore both options, and many choose to take both to compare their scores and keep their doors wide open for admissions and scholarships.

Last school year, we began administering the PSAT 8/9 to all eighth graders. We wanted to understand students' academic preparation before they entered high school, rather than waiting until their junior year to identify potential needs.

Think of it as an early checkpoint.

We now have two years of results. Our overall average increased slightly from 948 to 951. Reading and Writing improved by nine points, while Mathematics declined by six.

These results give us an initial baseline. As we continue administering the assessment, we'll be able to follow students' progress into high school and better understand where instructional support is needed.

Our eighth graders continue to outperform Georgia and the nation overall, with an average of 951 compared with 923 for Georgia and 906 nationally. We also see encouraging results across student groups, although differences remain within the district.

When we look more closely at the skills assessed, we get a clearer instructional picture.

In Reading and Writing, our relative strengths are in comprehension, understanding what we read and analyzing how texts communicate meaning.

Our opportunity is in Standard English Conventions, particularly grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. In Mathematics, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis are relative strengths. Our opportunities are in Advanced Math and Geometry and Trigonometry.

This is useful because it helps us move beyond saying students need to improve in mathematics or reading.

We can begin identifying the specific skills that need attention before students enter high school.

The next checkpoint allows us to see how those skills are developing as students move through high school.

The PSAT serves as the only qualifying exam for the National Merit® Scholarship Program, an academic competition overseen by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation that recognizes students and awards scholarships. In addition to being a pathway to the National Merit Scholarship, taking the PSAT provides access to more than $300 million in additional scholarship opportunities for students planning to attend college.

At Decatur High School, we administer the PSAT/NMSQT to every tenth grader, with eleventh graders having the option to participate. The assessment helps students understand their preparation for the SAT and provides eligible eleventh graders an opportunity to qualify for National Merit recognition.

We receive funding to cover the assessment for every tenth grader, and CSD pays for eleventh graders who choose to participate. This is part of our commitment to ensuring that all students have access to college-readiness opportunities.

Our overall average increased from 1056 in 2024 to 1103 in 2026, with improvements in Reading and Writing and Mathematics. That's encouraging. And when we look beyond those averages, the skill-level results tell us more about where instruction can make a difference.

When we examine student-group performance, we see encouraging results, as well as differences that warrant our attention. For example, Asian students averaged 1195, students identifying as Two or More Races averaged 1153, and White students averaged 1134, while Black students averaged 922.

These differences help us identify where to look more closely. But the skill-level analysis gives us an even clearer instructional picture.

In Reading and Writing, students are demonstrating stronger skills in interpreting information and analyzing how authors communicate meaning. Our greatest opportunity is in Standard English Conventions, particularly grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. Expression of Ideas is another area where we can strengthen students' ability to revise writing for clarity and effectiveness.

In Mathematics, Problem-Solving and Data Analysis is our strongest relative area.

Our opportunities are in Geometry, Trigonometry and Advanced Math, particularly in applying geometric concepts and more complex mathematical reasoning.

What's interesting is that we're beginning to see some common instructional themes between the PSAT 8/9 and PSAT/NMSQT. Besides the multi-assessment discount, the benefit of using assessments to drive instruction.

Standard English Conventions continue to be an area for attention, and we see opportunities to strengthen more advanced mathematical skills. That gives us a reason to examine how we're developing those skills across grade levels.

There is an important change in participation that we need to consider when interpreting these trends.

In 2024, both tenth- and eleventh-graders were required to participate. Beginning in 2025, only tenth graders were required because we began providing the SAT School Day administration to all eleventh graders.

In fall 2026, 414 tenth-graders and 55 eleventh-graders participated. We also currently have 26 scores on hold due to a testing irregularity related to a student emergency.

These differences matter because we're not comparing exactly the same testing populations each year. But the larger point is that we're intentionally expanding access.

CSD provides the PSAT/NMSQT to every tenth grader, pays for optional eleventh-grade participation, and funds SAT School Day for all juniors. That gives us more opportunities to understand students' readiness and provide support before graduation.

We have looked at how we're measuring readiness along the way. Now let's look at what our ACT and SAT results tell us as students approach graduation.

The ACT measures English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science. Students generally choose to participate as part of their postsecondary planning. Over the past four years, our composite average increased from 23.2 to 24.6. Reading improved by 1.4 points, and Mathematics improved by 2.1 points.

The results haven't increased every year, but the longer-term trend is positive. And that's important because we want to understand patterns over time.

Our graduating class earned an ACT composite average of 24.5, compared with 20.9 for Georgia and 19.2 nationally. Reading and Science are our strongest subject areas. These results are encouraging because they reflect students' ability to comprehend information, interpret evidence, and apply reasoning.

Our opportunities are in Mathematics and English. In Mathematics, we want to examine algebra, functions, geometry, and data analysis. In English, we want to strengthen students' command of grammar, usage, sentence structure, and effective language use.

These are important skills beyond the ACT itself.

And when we see similar opportunities across assessments, particularly in written language conventions, it gives us reason to look more closely at how those skills are taught and reinforced.

The SAT offers another perspective, particularly in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.

The SAT measures Reading, Writing and Mathematics. CSD provides SAT School Day so that every 11th- and 12th-grader who chooses to participate has the opportunity to do so during the regular school day. This removes barriers related to cost, transportation, and testing outside school hours. Our average increased from 1169 in 2024 to 1211 in 2026.

Both areas improved each year, with Mathematics increasing by 26 points and Reading and Writing by 16. That consistency is encouraging. But when we look at the specific skills assessed, we get a more complete picture of where students are demonstrating readiness and where additional instruction may be beneficial.

Our graduating class achieved an SAT average of 1211, compared with 1031 for Georgia and 1011 nationally. We also see strong performance among several student groups, although differences remain within the district.

When we examine the skills assessed, some important patterns emerge. In Reading and Writing, students demonstrate relative strengths in improving written communication and understanding how texts are organized and developed.

Our opportunities are in Standard English Conventions and Information and Ideas. We want to continue strengthening grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure, as well as students' ability to interpret and support conclusions with textual evidence.

In Mathematics, Algebra and Advanced Math are relative strengths.

Our greatest opportunities are in Problem-Solving, Data Analysis, Geometry and Trigonometry.

This suggests that students may benefit from additional opportunities to interpret data, apply mathematical reasoning to real-world problems, and strengthen their understanding of geometric concepts.

What's particularly useful is that we're seeing Standard English Conventions emerge as a focus area on both the PSAT and the SAT. In Mathematics, the relative strengths and needs vary by assessment, reinforcing the importance of examining specific skills rather than treating mathematics as a single broad area.

And that brings us to one way we're responding to what we're learning.

At Decatur High School, we currently have 137 students enrolled in five SAT preparation classes, compared with 120 last year. That's a 14% increase in participation. Most participants are eleventh graders, with some twelfth graders typically participating in the first semester of the school year.

Students can express interest in participating in SAT prep, and we also invite students whose performance suggests they may benefit from additional preparation. Students participating in OneGoal are automatically enrolled.

The program is flexible. Each semester, students can exit if they've reached their desired score or are pursuing another postsecondary pathway, creating opportunities for additional students. Our goal is to provide preparation that responds to students' needs and supports their individual goals.

Our district investment in Applerouth is $52,500. Students receive in-person SAT preparation during the school day, with two tutors covering five sections. They also have access to coursebooks, instructional videos, full-length practice tests, and individual learning portals to monitor their progress.

Across the PSAT and SAT, we're seeing opportunities to strengthen grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure. In Mathematics, we're identifying specific skills that need attention, including geometry, advanced mathematical reasoning, and data-driven problem-solving. Rather than simply having students take more practice tests, we want to use these results to provide more targeted preparation in our Applerouth programming.

When we look across these assessments, several patterns begin to emerge.

Our students are demonstrating strong academic performance, particularly in Reading and Writing, and we're seeing encouraging improvement over time. But the skill-level analysis also helps us identify recurring instructional opportunities. Standard English Conventions is a focus area on the PSAT and SAT. In Mathematics, we're seeing different strengths and needs at different points in students' academic progression. That's valuable information because it gives us a more specific starting point for examining instruction and strengthening alignment across grade levels.

With the addition of the PSAT 8/9, we're also building an earlier starting point for understanding student readiness. And through our investments in universal access to assessment and targeted preparation, we're creating more opportunities to respond to what we learn. Our goal is to understand what students know, where they need support, and whether our instructional responses are helping them progress. Ultimately, we want every student to leave City Schools of Decatur prepared for the opportunities they choose to pursue.

We commend all of our students and DHS school staff for their efforts and hard work toward achieving postsecondary success.

Finally, I want to wish everyone an enjoyable Thanksgiving break.

The recording, which includes the pre-work session, work session, regular meeting, and public comment, is available here. The meeting commenced with a roll call. All board members were present.

Chief Financial Officer Dr. Lonita Broome presented the preliminary review of the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY2026) General Fund financial results. The presentation included a comparison of the final amended budget to actual revenues and expenditures, highlighting significant variances and their impact on the district's ending fund balance.

Preliminary unaudited results indicate that total revenues were approximately 100% of budgeted amounts, while expenditures were approximately 98% of budgeted amounts. The district's unaudited ending fund balance is approximately $22.9 million, compared to the projected $17.8 million. The presentation highlighted the factors contributing to this variance and provided an overview of the district's financial position at the close of FY2026.

The FY2026 financial statements are currently undergoing an independent audit by Mauldin & Jenkins. Final audited results will be presented to the Board upon completion of the audit.

Dr. Broome's presentation is available in the meeting agenda linked here.

Feedback on the budget can be submitted here.

The board approved FY2027 Budget Amendment #1 for the general fund revenues and expenditures and E-SPLOST VI capital projects revenue only.

The General Fund amendment reallocates approximately $1.6 million previously designated for the Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) project to provide a one-time employee bonus. The amendment does not increase the overall General Fund budget of $120.7 million, and the projected ending fund balance remains unchanged at $13.7 million, or 11.33%.

The E-SPLOST VI amendment incorporates approximately $11.9 million in additional available resources, primarily from the DeKalb County Schools reconciliation payment, additional anticipated collections, and an increase in the beginning fund balance.

The board amended the meeting agenda to add a discussion item regarding the legal services RFP. The board's discussion was aided by outside counsel Jody Campbell, from Blum & Campbell, LLC, who reviewed the RFP at the administration's request. Mr. Campbell gave an overview of how districts typically select legal firms and answered questions about the options the board has with the current RFP. Board members expressed concern about onboarding a brand-new legal team at the same time as the transition to an incoming interim superintendent on January 1. Following counsel's advice, the board decided to delay any decision until the interim superintendent can provide direct input on a preferred approach to legal representation.

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System

• Authorize the Superintendent to enter into a one-year contract with five one-year options with Tyler Technologies for the acquisition, implementation, and maintenance of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. The five-year cost will not exceed $1,200,000.

• Russell Landscaping Amendment

• Authorize the Superintendent to execute an amendment increasing FY2027 spending authority under ITB 26-002 landscaping by $165,420 for routine landscape maintenance from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

The board approved the following consent items:

• October 2026 Personnel Report

• Field Trips

• 2027 Legislative Priorities

• Contracts & Memorandums

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System

• Russell Landscaping Amendment

The board approved the following policies:

• IDDD: Gifted Student Programs

• IKD: School Ceremonies and Observances

• IHE: Promotion and Retention

• IDE(3): Competitive Interscholastic Activities, Grades 6-12

The board moved the following policies to public comment:

• IDBA: Sex Education

• IFBC: Media Programs

• IKBC: Material Harmful to Minors Complaint Resolution Process

• IED: Scheduling for Instruction

Click on the policies to view them and provide comments.

Chief of Staff Amanda Lynch presented an overview of the process for developing drafts of the 2028-2029 academic calendar. As part of the presentation, several academic calendar options were shared, along with information on how stakeholder groups can provide feedback.

Click here for the 2028-2029 Academic Calendar Survey. The survey will be open November 12-30.

Budget Activity Items 1 and 2

Chief Financial Officer Dr. Lonita Broome presented the September 2026 financial report. As of September 30, 2026, the district has collected 32%, or approximately $36 million, of the budgeted revenues and has expended 18%, or approximately $22 million, of the overall expenditure budget.

Approximately $3 million is encumbered for September (Encumbrances are open purchase orders that have been issued but have not been invoiced/paid). The overall effect of the financial statements is a net income of approximately $14 million. The $14 million represents the year-to-date difference between the total revenues and total expenditures. Last year at this time, 31%, or approximately $33 million, of the budgeted revenue had been collected, and approximately 18%, or $21 million, had been expended.

A more detailed look at both revenues and expenditures, including Dr. Broome's presentation, is available in the meeting agenda linked here.

The board approved the budget monitoring activity items 1 and 2.

The following policies are available for public comment:

• IDBA: Sex Education
• IFBC: Media Programs
• IKBC: Material Harmful to Minors Complaint Resolution Process
• IED: Scheduling for Instruction

Click on the policies to view them and provide comments.

The pre-work session included a discussion of the board's 2026-2027 book study, The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey, and a review of nine policies:

• JBC(1): Homeless Students

• JCDA: Student Code of Conduct

• JDA: Corporal Punishment

• JDF: Teacher Authority to Remove Students From Classrooms

• JDF(2): Seclusion or Restraints of Students

• JGI: Child Abuse or Neglect

• JGJA: Suicide Prevention

• JRA: Student Data Privacy Complaints

• BCBI: Public Participation in Board Meetings

The pre-work session portion of the meeting is available for viewing in the full recording.

During the work session preceding the Regular Meeting, the Board of Education heard two presentations. The 2028-2029 Academic Calendar and policy discussions were moved to the regular meeting due to time.

The presentations included:

• Student Enrollment and Its Implications: FTE & QBE

• FY28 Budget Parameters and Priorities

The work session portion of the meeting can be viewed in the full recording, starting at 1:39:20.

Next Regular Meeting: The next regular Board of Education meeting is scheduled for December 8, 2026.

Other Upcoming Meetings:

• Board Retreat: November 17, 9:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the Decatur Conference Center.

Link to Join Board of Education Meetings Virtually: https://csdecatur.zoom.us/j/95614159391

Board Agenda(s): Go to Simbli to access the CSD Board of Education meeting agenda(s), supporting documents, and meeting minutes.

Public Comments: Click here for information on signing up to speak at a CSD Board of Education meeting.

Contacting Board Members: Email the entire board at board@csdecatur.net. Click here to view board member bios and contact information.

The board values hearing from members of our community. Each board member reviews and reads all emails sent by our stakeholders.

Georgia law governs school boards, and they cannot intervene in the day-to-day administrative operations of the school district, including direct staff and personnel matters. If you write to us with a concern about district operations, your message will be forwarded to the school or district administrator who can best address your concern.

The board has also adopted a set of norms that govern our local communication protocols.

These include:

1. Emails to individual board members are shared with the entire board.

2. Issues and concerns received by the board and/or individual members will be referred to the superintendent.

3. Board members will follow the chain of command and educate, instruct, and encourage others to do the same.

4. The board chair will reply to emails from constituents sent to all board members. That reply will include the superintendent and other board members on the thread, and the constituent will be informed that the superintendent or their designee will respond to the inquiry/request.

5. Direct all stakeholders' questions, input, or discussion to the superintendent, who will communicate them as needed to the board.

Email: board@csdecatur.net
Website: csdecatur.net
Location: 125 Electric Avenue, Decatur, GA, USA
Phone: (404) 371-3601