Round 1 Scenarios

The Students Are Why 
DeKalb County School District was built to serve approximately 110,000 students. Today, we serve about 92,000, and enrollment is projected to continue declining. At the same time, the district now has more than 20,000 empty seats across its schools. 

This reality creates a challenge—and an opportunity. 

The Student Assignment Project exists to ensure that resources are invested where they matter most: in classrooms with students, rather than spread across underutilized buildings. The goal is to strengthen academic programs, improve access to student supports, and ensure long-term sustainability for the district. 

This work is about being educationally focused and practicing cost avoidance so that funding can be reinvested where it has the greatest impact on students. 

Five Reasons This Work Is Needed 

• Declining student enrollment and underutilized schools 
• School buildings that require significant repairs and improvements 
• Schools that are severely over- or under-capacity 
• The need for more efficient transportation routes 
• The opportunity to consolidate resources and strengthen programs 

The Student Assignment Project is a multi-year, phased process designed to be transparent, data-informed, and community-driven. 

Who Is Involved 

• A 150-member SAP Advisory Committee made up of parents, staff, and community members helped establish guiding principles and review data. 
• The committee works alongside DCSD operations staff and consultants from HPM and HL Strategies. 
• The Board of Education receives regular updates and will not consider final recommendations until late fall 2026. 

The Community Feedback Loop 

1. Build scenarios 
2. Share scenarios publicly 
3. Gather community feedback 
4. Incorporate feedback into future iterations 

Surveys are available in multiple languages, and feedback is compiled by HL Strategies, an independent third party, to ensure integrity and transparency. 

We Are Starting with Facilities 
Facility decisions set the foundation for everything else. Buildings determine: 

• Where seats physically exist 
• Class sizes and safety 
• Accessibility and instructional quality 

Because of this, the current scenarios focus only on facilities. Attendance boundaries and programs will be addressed in later phases, once facility options are better understood. 

What Are “Scenarios”? 
Scenarios are high-level planning concepts. They are: 

• Not decisions 
• Not final plans 
• Not recommendations 

They are designed to help the district and community explore possibilities, understand impacts, and identify priorities before anything moves forward. 

It is expected, and okay if reviewing the scenarios raises questions or concerns. That is part of the process. 

What is Cascading Use? 

Using a cascading approach allows us to maintain more robust portfolio of buildings in anticipation of any future changes. 

It also allows for a more dynamic school experience for elementary and middle school students. 

This shifts the impact of consolidations down to the elementary level. 

Cascading Use 

• Elementary Schools Merge into a Former Middle School Facility 
• Middle Schools move into a Former High School Facility 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What will Happen to Closed Schools? 
For facilities that are ultimately recommended to close, after all iterations and feedback, there will be dedicated process to determine what will happen to them. 

Possible actions include but are not limited to: 

• Repurpose for a non-instructional district use (e.g. office space) 
• Use for expanded early childhood programs 
• Work with other public entities for alternative use 
• Redesign into a specialty school 
• Land Bank for future use of the site (demolish the building and plant grass) 

What are the Tradeoffs? 

 

If a district wants Low Operating costs with Robust Program Offering, it is difficult to have Small Schools. 

If a district wants Small Schools and Low Operating Costs, it is difficult to offer Robust Program Offering. 

If a district wants Robust Program Offerings with Small Schools, it is difficult to have Low Operating Costs. 

 

 

More tradeoffs districts must balance: 

• IF we better manage the declining student enrollment and have fewer underutilized school ...THEN we can improve support for diverse learner needs through more intentional differentiation and targeted Interventions. 
• IF we have less school building that need significant repairs and improvements … THEN we can actualize cost avoidance to reinvest in fewer buildings with a greater impact. 
• IF we balance the capacity at our schools …. THEN we can enhance access to instructional and student-support resources as balanced capacity allows schools to more effectively utilize spaces, staff, and materials. 
• IF we have more efficient transportation routes … THEN we can reduce student commute times with. 
• schools located closer to home, leading to less time on buses and more time for learning, rest, and family engagement. 
• IF we have fewer buildings to operate overall … THEN we can consolidate resources, increase investment in educators and specialized staff, expand academic, social-emotional, and behavioral supports for students. 

Understanding these tradeoffs helps explain why facility planning is the starting point for this work. 

Planning With the Public 
This is the first round of scenarios. Nothing is decided. Nothing is off the table. 

Community feedback is just as important as data in shaping future versions. Additional rounds of scenarios will include more detail and clarity based on what we hear from you. 

Key Factors Considered 
Scenarios were developed using: 

• Proximity of schools to where students live 
• Proximity of schools to one another 
• Building adequacy and building capacity 
• Recent facility investments 
• A cascading use approach that prioritizes using the district’s strongest buildings 

When changes are considered in one area, impacts across the entire district must also be evaluated. That is why these scenarios are presented as system-wide conversation starters, not isolated actions. 

Related Data 

• Schools Data Dashboard here
  • Video Tutorial: Dashboard Use
  • Video Tutorial: Dashboard Access
  • Video Tutorial: Homepage Access
• Attendance and Facility Maps here
  • Historic Enrollment and Capacity Reports here (see the data sections)
  • School heat maps here
  • School-specific rationale here

While facilities are the focus of this phase, different grade configurations were explored to understand benefits and challenges, including: 

Traditional PK–5 / 6–8 / 9–12 models 
PK-3 / 4-5 / 6-8 / 9-12 is a possible variation of this grade configuration 

Benefits	Challenges
When schools are well enrolled, promotes larger cohorts of students resulting in larger numbers for enhanced programming.  Allows for three tiers of transportation requiring fewer buses.  It's familiar.   School environments are aligned with student cognitive, social, and emotional stages.	When schools are under enrollment, resources can spread thin between multiple facilities.  Multiple school transitions between Pre-K and 12.  Less grades per building increases the chance of families spreading between multiple buildings.

PK–8 schools 
This configuration requires a 9-12 high school. 
A PK-8 requires an enrollment of at least 900 to be operationally efficient  

Benefits

Challenges

Allows more vertical access to curriculum (advanced elementary students can take middle school coursework).  More students in large buildings is more operationally efficient.  Potentially only one transition.  More grades means siblings are more likely to be in the same building longer.  Creates a more integrated vertical structure where students can build longer lasting relationships.

Middle school programming may not be as robust as it would be at a traditional middle school due to smaller cohorts of students.  Due to smaller cohorts at middle grades, extracurriculars may look different.  May require additional staff certifications.  Existing elementary and middle schools may need some modification to serve grades Pre-K through 8.  Moving to a two-tier system would potentially require more buses and drivers.  Some students may struggle with the abrupt transition from 8th to 9th grade.  Challenges around the students at different developmental stages in the same facility.

6–12 campuses 
This can work with both PK-5 and PK-3 / 4-5 models 

Benefits

Challenges

Allows more vertical access to curriculum (advanced middle school students can take high school coursework).  More students in larger buildings is more operationally efficient.  Potentially only one transition.  More grades mean siblings are more likely to be in the same building longer.  Allows for prevention preservation of all existing high school communities.  Creates a more integrated vertical structure where students can build longer lasting relationships.

Smaller cohorts resulting in lower numbers for enhanced programming.  Due to smaller cohorts, extracurriculars may look different.  May require additional staff certifications.  Moving to two-tier system would potentially require more buses and drivers.  Challenges around the students at different developmental stages in the same facility.

PK–3 / 4–5 configurations 
This can work with both Traditional 6-8 / 9-12 or 6-12 

Benefits

Challenges

Allows for more focus on early literacy and foundational skills by having more resources focused on those grades in one building.  Allows buildings with lower enrollment to operate more efficiently compared to other grade configurations with lower enrollment.  Works best in areas where schools are in close proximity so students can be on the same bus route to both schools.  By having larger cohorts, there is more opportunity to align students with staff that may be better suited to differentiated learning needs.

Additional transition can cause academic disruption.  Existing facilities may need some  modification to serve the PK-3 / 4-5 configuration.  Potentially adds another transition.  Higher likelihood that siblings would be in multiple buildings.  Shorter amount of time for staff to form lasting relationships with students.

As you can see, each option comes with tradeoffs related to student transitions, programming, transportation, staffing, and operational efficiency. These considerations will continue to be refined in future phases. 

The scenarios you are reviewing reflect one possible way to better align enrollment, capacity, and facility quality over time. Key points to keep in mind: 

• Changes would be implemented gradually over a six to eight year period
• Some schools are proposed for conversion, consolidation, or closure based on capacity and proximity 
• Schools not listed in these scenarios are being addressed through separate processes and may appear in future iterations 
• No school decisions have been made 

Enrollment projections and utilization data help explain how and why specific options were explored. 

 

High Schools 
We started with High Schools because they are the most strategic long-term assets. 
Forecasted enrollment shows that by 2030, we will have 4 high schools worth of excess seats. This scenario reduces 3 high schools. 

• Towers High School has the lowest educational adequacy and is in close proximity to the larger more adequate Columbia HS. 
• Cedar Grove HS has low educational adequacy and is in close proximity to the larger and more adequate McNair HS. 
• Lithonia HS is smaller and in very close proximity to the larger and newer Miller Grove HS. 

Middle Schools 
Forecasted enrollment shows that by 2030, we will have 5 middle schools worth of excess seats. Converting 3 high schools to middle schools, gives us 8 middle schools of excess seats. This scenario converts 5 middle schools to elementaries and closes 1. 

• Because of cascading use, McNair MS, Bethune MS, Miller Grove MS, and Lithonia MS all convert to elementaries. 
• Champion Theme MS converts to an elementary because it is the least educationally adequate middle school (the program will move to a new location). 
• Cedar Grove MS closes due cascading use and excess elementary capacity in the area. 

Elementary Schools 
Forecasted enrollment shows that by 2030, we will have 20 elementaries worth of excess seats. Converting 5 middle schools to middle schools, gives us at least 10 elementaries of excess seats. This scenario closes 25 elementaries. 

Cascading Use Diagram  

• Elementaries in areas with underutilization close due to excess capacity in the area along with cascading use. 
• Elementaries that are appropriately placed and well utilized have proposed facility additions. 
• Elementaries that have low educational adequacy and are in close proximity to schools with excess capacity or planned additions are proposed to close. 

A Critical Reminder 
These scenarios are conversation starters only. 
They exist so we can hear from you. 
Your feedback will directly shape the next round of scenarios. 

What is the Student Assignment Project (SAP)?
The Student Assignment Project (SAP) is a comprehensive, data-driven effort to ensure DeKalb County School District is structured to best serve students today and in the future. It examines school buildings, boundaries, and programs to align district resources with current enrollment realities while strengthening educational opportunities for all students. 

Why is the district doing this now?
DCSD was built to serve approximately 110,000 students, but today enrolls about 92,000, and enrollment has been declining for more than a decade. This trend is projected to continue and mirrors patterns seen across metro Atlanta and the nation.  Operating schools and facilities designed for tens of thousands more students mean resources are being spent on empty or underused seats. These are resources that could otherwise support teachers, classrooms, and student programs. SAP allows the district to proactively address these challenges rather than react later.  Additionally, SAP aligns with the district’s five-year planning cycle connected to ESPLOST, ensuring long-term, responsible planning for facilities and programs. 

Is this just about saving money?
No. SAP is about cost avoidance, not one-time cost cutting. 

The goal is to avoid continuing to spend money operating underutilized schools in the future. By using buildings and resources more efficiently, DCSD can redirect dollars toward what matters most—instruction, educators, and student support services—instead of utilities, maintenance, and unused space. 

How does declining enrollment affect students and schools?
Declining enrollment can impact schools in several important ways: 

• Fewer course offerings and academic programs 
• Fewer teachers per grade level, limiting collaboration 
• Smaller clubs, teams, and extracurricular opportunities 
• Less funding at the school and classroom level 

SAP is designed to address these challenges by ensuring schools are appropriately sized, wellresourced, and able to offer strong academic and extracurricular opportunities.

What is the ultimate goal of SAP?
The goal is to create a more efficient, inclusive, and educationally strong district—one where: 

• Resources are aligned with actual student enrollment 
• Every student has access to high-quality programs 
• A student’s address does not determine the quality of their education 
• Facilities and programs are sustainable for the next generation 

Who is involved in guiding this work?
SAP is guided by a 150-member steering committee made up of parents, educators, and community stakeholders. 

• The committee is advisory only and does not make final decisions. 
• Its role is to provide community perspective, help shape priorities, and review concepts. 

The district is also working with external experts, including HPM Group, to analyze enrollment, operational, and financial data to ensure decisions are grounded in evidence and best practices. 

How are decisions being made?
No decisions have been made yet. 

SAP uses metrics and scenarios to explore possibilities—not finalize outcomes. Metrics help create a consistent framework for evaluating schools, while scenarios illustrate how different approaches might affect the district.  This process allows the district to: 

• Test ideas 
• Gather feedback 
• Refine scenarios 
• Repeat the process until clear, informed recommendations emerge

What metrics are being used?
Multiple metrics are used together to understand each school’s context, including: 

• Students distance from school 
• Capacity to accommodate additional students 
• Age and condition of facilities 

No single metric determines an outcome. Looking at multiple data points together provides a more complete picture. 

Who decides how metrics are weighted?
The SAP Steering Committee determines the relative importance of each metric, based on what best serves students districtwide. Multiple weighting scenarios are developed to show how different approaches may influence outcomes.

Why are school names appearing in scenarios?

When scenarios are run, school names may appear to help illustrate how metrics work together and to identify emerging patterns. 

Important:

• A school appearing in a scenario does not mean a decision has been made. 
• A school not appearing does not mean it will be unaffected. 

Every school in the district will experience some level of impact. 

Does SAP mean schools will automatically close?
No. SAP explores a range of possibilities, including: 

• Consolidation 
• Expansion 
• Transition to different uses 
• Closure, where appropriate 

All options are evaluated carefully and with community input before any recommendations are made. 

Why does community feedback matter so much?
SAP is currently in a refining phase, where feedback is essential.  Community input helps: 

• Test assumptions 
• Identify unintended consequences 
• Improve and refine scenarios 
• Ensure recommendations reflect districtwide priorities 

Families, staff, and community members are encouraged to focus on how the metrics interact and what is best for all students—not just individual schools. 

When will final recommendations be made?
Final recommendations will be presented to the Board of Education in fall 2026. 

What happens to buildings that may no longer be needed as schools?

The district is developing a formal process to assess future uses for any facilities that may become available. This may include: 

• District needs 
• Community partnerships 
• Other productive, community-serving uses 

No decisions about facility reuse have been made at this time. 

How will this work benefit students in the long run?

By aligning resources with today’s realities, SAP allows DCSD to: 

• Strengthen academic programs 
• Better support educators 
• Invest directly in student learning 
• Plan responsibly for the future 

The choices made today will shape the opportunities available to students tomorrow. 

Where can I learn more or share feedback?

Additional information, meeting schedules, and feedback opportunities will be shared through district communication channels and on this webpage.