Thanks for all you do for our students, families, stakeholders, community partners, and each other! Know that we value your commitment and dedication to the DeKalb County School District. The first day of school is just around the corner. As such, we anticipate more than 93,000 fresh faces will show up eager to learn and grow.

Teacher shortages are a national issue, and our District is not immune to the challenges that come with it. We have found that educator pipelines are not producing the necessary quantity of high-quality, highly qualified staff needed to support schools. To date, the District has hired more than 700 certified educators, yet still needs 400 to be fully staffed to start the new year.

As a result, the District will implement an “all-hands-on-deck” approach to start the school year and ensure that every student has access to quality instruction. It’s how we collectively keep the focus on students and their successful education.

The District will employ the following Comprehensive Coverage Plan to support classrooms:

  • STAR Subs- Every school has been allotted 1 Star Substitute
  • Day-to-Day and Long-Term Substitutes- The District has more than 900 subs that have been vetted
  • Hire Summer Graduates as Paraprofessionals and place them in the classroom they will lead
  • Extended Day and Planning Period Coverage opportunities for teachers
  • Retiree Job Share and HB385 options in Math, Science, and Special Education
  • Instructional Specialist to support classes for up to the first 45 instructional days
  • District and School Level Administrators to serve as Instructors
  • Learning Facilitated through (APEX) and Buddy Teacher Program
  • DeKalb Teacher Residency- Launches Winter 2024

Please take note of the following information below:

  • Instructional Specialists are comprised of individuals in the following positions: MTSS, Academic Coaches, IB Coordinators, LTS, Student Support Specialists, Math Specialist, Reading Specialist, and any other Instructional Specialist that supports schools.
  • To support Instructional Specialists impacted by this decision, the District will provide a supplement of up to $1,500 for the full 45 days of classroom support and instruction.