The Division of Student Services proudly supports DeKalb County School District’s learners with the most unique needs, and our youngest learners. In total, our Division supports the needs of nearly 46,000 students – almost half of our District’s total enrollment – and their families and educators. The Division is comprised of more than 300 dedicated team members from the following Departments: English Learners, Exceptional Education, Gifted Education, and Pre-K and Early Learning. Our Exceptional Education Department includes Special Education and related services, Psychological Services, Section 504, Hospital Homebound services, Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support (GNETS), Incarcerated Youth Program, and Georgia Learning Resource System (GLRS). Through our Pre-K and Early Learning Department, DeKalb County School District is the largest provider of three-year-old and four-year-old Pre-K of all public school systems in the State of Georgia. Our leadership in early education reflects our broader vision for kindergarten readiness and lifelong learning success.

Our Gifted Education team works hand in hand with school leadership and other departments to identify our students’ acute gifts and talents, and provide them appropriate services to address their giftedness. This alignment signifies our commitment to inclusivity and success for every child. Professional development, parent engagement, community partnerships, and authentic student access are cornerstones of the Division of Student Services. Through various professional learning opportunities (during the school year and summer), we seek to elevate the instructional capacity of our educators to address our learners’ unique needs, and uplift every student.

Our English Learners Department supports more than 18,000 multilingual learners, representing more than 170 home languages- also the most of any school district in Georgia. They provide support for the academic and instructional conditions of our English Learner students within their classrooms – through direct supports of teachers, school leaders, students, and families. We provide interpretation and translation services throughout the district, a variety of professional learning opportunities on supporting the academic needs of English Learners, community engagement, and enrollment/registration and language acquisition screening support for our newcomer families via our International Student Screening Center.

Our Division provides extended year summer learning for students served by all four of our departments. Our Division facilitates both the Bilingual Parent Advisory Council and Exceptional Education Parent Advisory Council on a regular basis – to provide our parents/guardians with avenues for advocacy and input – and to inform our decision making. We also offer various parent education workshops to increase their discernment and abilities to assist their children to access the curriculum. We are proud to sustain relationships with dozens of community partner agencies throughout DeKalb County, which assist our families to access vitally needed wrap around services.

Department of Exceptional Education

The Exceptional Education Department provides oversight and support for the educational programs and services of nearly 16,000 Students with Disabilities in the DeKalb County School District. Committed to fostering inclusive and equitable learning environments, the department ensures that educational standards, policies, and state regulations align with the needs of students requiring specialized services. The department is comprised of five key offices: Section 504 & Hospital Homebound, Georgia Learning Resource System (GLRS), Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Supports (GNETS), Psychological Services, and Special Education. Each office plays a vital role in supporting students, educators, and families by ensuring compliance, resource management, and the effective implementation of services. Working collaboratively with school administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders, the department strives to enhance student success through tailored educational programs, specialized instruction, and comprehensive support services.

Department of English Learners:

The English Learners Department is dedicated to equipping English learners with the academic and social skills necessary for lifelong success. Through a learner-centered and differentiated instructional approach, supported by a highly qualified school staff, the department ensures that students receive the tailored support they need to thrive. In addition to academic instruction, the department provides essential services to assist multilingual students and their families in overcoming language barriers, fostering both academic achievement and English language proficiency. Recognizing the vital role of families and the community, the department actively promotes parental and community participation to enhance student success. To further support educators and staff, ongoing professional learning is provided for ESOL teachers, content area teachers, paraprofessionals, and other district personnel, ensuring best practices in language instruction and support services.

Department of Early Learning and Pre-K Programs:

The Department of Early Learning and Pre-K Programs provides oversight, support, and resources for all Pre-K (3&4) programs within the DeKalb County School District. The district is committed to ensuring that our young scholars are exposed to an engaging and robust learning experience that supports the overall development of the whole child via intellectual, physical, social, and emotional development. Research based instructional practices that support the content areas of ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies along with a conscious discipline component are deployed daily to assist with enhancing our student’s early readiness skills. Strategic and aligned adult actions via expectations, ritual and routines, protocols and procedures ensure that the opportunity gap is eliminated within our equitable and inclusive instructional settings that supports the district’s mission and vision for the DeKalb Scholar.

Department of Gifted Education:

The gifted program is part of the Division of Student Services and is funded by the State of Georgia. The procedures for identifying and placing students in the gifted program are governed by the Georgia Department of Education as indicated by the SBOE Rule 160-4-2-38. Gifted instruction shall focus on developing cognitive learning, research and reference, and metacognitive skills. DeKalb County School District’s gifted program brings gifted children together to experience a variety of challenging activities, supports teachers in the area of educating gifted children, and provides guidance for the parents/guardians of gifted students.