- Atlanta Public Schools
- Next Steps
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Next Steps
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Building upon the insights gained from the "100 Day Actions," the "Next Steps" section outlines our forward-looking goals and strategies for each of the over 40 focus areas, providing a clear roadmap for continued improvement across the district.
Academic Acceleration
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1.1 Academic Structure
Review academic organizational structure to identify areas of success and opportunity.
What do we plan to do?
Through the FY26 Budget Process, we will review the best way to efficiently and effectively support the core work of the district through our organizational structures, collaborative efforts, and systems and processes.
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1.2 Academic Data
Review student academic data to identify academic deficits and areas of opportunity.
What do we plan to do?
We will continue to leverage the Student Outcomes Focused Governance Framework to identify goals, guardrails, and strategies. This focus on data will ensure the district is prioritizing student achievement.
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1.3 Special Education
Begin implementation of recommended improvements in special education based on recent audit.
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1: By Summer 2025, Develop a professional learning program for Special Education Lead Teachers (SELTs) and instructional support staff to begin implementation.
- Train SELTs to create and evaluate quality IEPs as defined by the GaDoE Quality IEP framework.
- Train District support staff (School Coordinators and Inclusive Practices Specialists) alongside Teaching and Learning Instructional Coaches for alignment in Tier 1 instructional expectations.
- Develop compliance monitoring plans with identified metrics for each school.
Goal 2: By End of 2025, Restructure Central Office Support staff to streamline and clarify school based and caregiver supports.
- Collect and review District Support Staff Impact surveys to identify efficiency, redundancy, gaps in support structure.
- Develop Departmental SOPs and Employee handbook to clarify internal policies and procedures.
- Rename school based program delivery models from being identified by exceptionality (i.e. EBD, MOID, Autism) to better align with profile of student serviced in the program.
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1.4 Accelerate Literacy
Accelerate Phase 1 of Literacy plan and begin curriculum review of core content areas.
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1: By Fall 2025, APS will develop a strong vision for effective K-12 literacy systemwide and develop an implementation plan for central office staff, school leaders, instructional coaches, and teachers to internalize and articulate the APS vision for K-12 literacy.
- Adopt a comprehensive curriculum aligned to the Science of Reading for K-5 to ensure a cohesive experience for all students.
- Adopt a comprehensive curriculum for 6-12 that is aligned to the new ELA standards
- Ensure the adopted curriculum includes support for learners at multiple ability levels to include language learners
- Track completion of Ga. Learns Courses to ensure all current K-5 staff meet the July 1st deadline by May 2025.
Goal 2: By End of 2025, provide effective ongoing professional learning and development for all of APS instructional coaches to support their understanding of Georgia’s new K-12 ELA standards and improve their ability to support teachers with lesson internalization for ELA and interdisciplinary literacy and student work analysis.
- Monitor implementation of comprehensive curriculum to evaluate success.
- Provide direct support to coaches and teachers with the implementation of the new K-1 ELA standards through professional learning and in-class modeling support.
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1.5 Annual Targets
Work with the school board on annual targets for strategic focus areas leveraging exemplars, national benchmarking, or comparable/aspirational districts to determine the measurement for success for the strategic plan.
What do we plan to do?
By Summer 2025
- The Board will engage the community this Spring to receive feedback on values and goals.
- Propose and approve annual targets that are specific, measurable, realistic, attainable, relevant and time bound.
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1.6 Strategic Plan
Support implementation of strategic plan through development of a formal monitoring/review process which ends in 2025 and begin establishing plan for development of strategic plan.
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1: By Spring 2025, develop draft values, goals, and theories of action.
- Review and confirm values/profile
- Draft overarching goals
- Draft theory of action/key drivers
Goal 2: By Summer 2025, finalize our strategic plan.
- Identify high-level strategies/initiatives
- Finalize FY26 Budget
- Create a change management plan
- Begin developing action plans
- Develop a monitoring plan
We will engage stakeholders, internal and external, throughout the process.
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1.7 Assess Programs
Assess academic programs and instructional quality of programs to ensure coherence to district and state expectations, as well as alignment with the district’s profile of an APS graduate.
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1: To establish district vision for Tier I Instructional Excellence; providing high quality instructional materials aligned to grade level standards for the diverse needs of ALL APS students.
- Align all processes and documents in support of a common vision for instructional excellence.
- Develop and implement a standardized template for curriculum documents across all grade levels and subjects.
- Form committee with teachers, leaders, content coordinators and specialists to review and guide adoption of new templates.
- Create a districtwide adoption schedule, prioritizing subjects with new state standards.
- Update documents to reflect current standards and best practices.
- Train teachers and instructional leaders on the new curriculum structure, and best practices for implementation.
- Create standards of practice that incorporate research based effective strategies for student acceleration to include interventions and enrichment.
Goal 2: To establish a districtwide vision and success metrics for the implementation and evaluation of signature programs.
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1.8 Leadership Framework
Review or identify leadership framework for all school level leaders to accelerate student achievement.
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1: By Summer 2025
- Relay/GSE’s National Principals Supervisor Academy (NPSA) will be completed.
- Relay/GSE’s National Principals Academy Fellowship (NPAF) will be completed.
- McREL’s Balanced Leadership Model will launch.
Goal 2: By End of 2025
- Principal support tools (Roadmaps, Playbooks, Professional Learning, Meeting Matrix) will be updated to align with the McREL practices.
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1.9 Assessments (New)
Analyze current assessment efforts and develop a cohesive assessment strategy.
What do we plan to do?
Continue to meet with the internal and external Assessment Task Force through March 2025.
By Summer 2025:
- Finalize assessment philosophy based on these Guiding Principles developed by Assessment Taskforce:
- Focus on student growth and mastery.
- Encourage student ownership of learning.
- Support professional development and instructional improvement.
- Produce meaningful data.
- Ensure fairness and equity.
- Prioritize quality over quantity.
- Communicate results clearly.
- Develop an APS Balanced Assessment Plan.
- Develop a plan to provide clear and consistent communication on assessment use and purpose.
By End of 2025:
- Establish timeline for implementation of assessment plan.
- Develop any district wide assessments required based on assessment plan.
- Develop PL on assessment use to support implementation of assessment plan.
- Finalize assessment philosophy based on these Guiding Principles developed by Assessment Taskforce:
Equity
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2.1 Equity Advisory Committee
Conduct meetings with the district Superintendent’s Community Equity Advisory Committee to understand the recent progress and determine current barriers to equity within APS and areas of need.
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1 (Concrete standard language): By Spring 2025, revise Equity +Social Justice vision to be more student and service focused.
- Work session with Equity Advisory Committee - revision activity.
- Equity +Social Justice Team retreat to finalize revisions.
Goal 2 (Clear feedback loop): By Summer 2025, conduct three (3) meetings with Equity Advisory Committee to:
- Gather feedback for strategic priorities for development of the biennial equity plan.
- Identify current barriers to strategic priorities and develop mitigation plan for barriers.
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2.2 Engage
Engage parent and community groups to determine what the perceived barriers to instructional quality and student achievement are in APS.
What do we plan to do?
- The qualitative feedback from this engagement will be incorporated into the Needs Assessment as part of our strategic planning process.
- Our strategic plan will address the themes.
- We will continue to engage parents and community groups to identify these barriers to instructional quality and student achievement.
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2.3 Equity Plan
Establish the process and timeline for development of the district’s equity plan as required by the Board’s Equity Policy and to ensure organizational focus on equity.
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1: By Summer 2025, complete analysis and strategy development.
- Complete pattern analysis to identify systemic barriers and analyze root causes.
- Identify external factors influencing equity to understand limitations.
- Complete goal setting and strategy development - SMARTIE goals that are inclusive, relevant, and sensitive to diverse needs; action plans with clear steps, timelines and resource lists.
- Engage stakeholders in plan refinement (member checking), ensure alignment with district strategic plan.
- Review systems for monitoring progress of equity commitments.
Goal 2: By Fall 2025-----
- Provide implementation plan to all stakeholders clearly communicating goals and actions.
- Provide professional development for teachers, administrators and staff on commitments and related initiatives.
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2.4 Equity Audit Review
Review relevant equity audit(s) to determine progress and outstanding needs.
What do we plan to do?
The Office of Equity + Social Justice has read and analyzed each diagnostic and is working to complete a synthesis of the diagnostics.
Goal 1: By Spring 2025, E+SJ will complete Equity Audit Synthesis Report draft.
Goal 2: By Summer, 2025 E+SJ will crosswalk Amp Up APS! survey data, OTIS data, and Audit Synthesis report to triangulate district trends in focal commitment areas.
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2.5 Equity Commitments
Work with the school board, schools, and community to begin development of an annual report card with new strategic plan that will articulate progress on Equity Commitments within the strategic plan.
What do we plan to do?
During each work session, stakeholders worked to understand equity issues in the district and helped to identify four (4) key equity commitments that will help to drive district strategic planning and biennial equity planning. These four (4) commitments include:
- Addressing disproportionate discipline practices
- Increasing access to effective teachers and leaders
- Increasing access to high quality instructional programming and materials
- Supporting special populations
Goal 1: By Summer 2025, operationalize the four (4) focal commitments by developing:
- Common language and definitions for key terms in each commitment (i.e., what is “high quality?” What is “effective?”).
- Key performance indicators based on district data and common understandings of each commitment.
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2.6 Subgroup Achievement
Identify strategies to improve student achievement in subgroups and priority schools in the district.
What do we plan to do?
Strategies to improve student achievement and priority schools can be found throughout the 100-day plan:
1.3 Special Education
Begin implementation of recommended improvements in special education based on recent audit.
1.4 Accelerate Literacy
Accelerate Phase 1 of Literacy plan and begin curriculum review of core content areas.
1.7 Assess Programs
Assess academic programs and instructional quality of programs to ensure coherence to district and state expectations, as well as alignment with the district’s profile of an APS graduate.
1.8 Leadership Framework
Identify leadership framework for all school level leaders to accelerate student achievement.
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2.7 Outcomes
Identify areas that might be addressed to improve specific outcomes in the areas of ELA, Math, SAT/ACT and graduation rate.
What do we plan to do?
The development of the Strategic Plan will outline strategies to address the opportunities identified through this data analysis.
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2.8 Course Offerings
Review course offerings at schools and distribution of career technical, International Baccalaureate, Advanced Placement and dual enrollment offerings.
What do we plan to do?
Through alignment with the Profile of an APS Graduate, here are our goals:
Goal 1: By Summer 2025, increase the number of Advanced Placement courses offered and students enrolled as evidenced by course requests and placements through the master scheduling process.
- Identify AP access courses that are designed to increase access and readiness for 9th & 10th grade students and propose options to HS leadership teams.
- Identify students eligible for advanced placement access courses by meeting prerequisite and/or course progression criteria.
- Counselors will communicate course options with eligible students and families.
- Identify and train teachers on new courses and develop Professional Learning cohorts for monthly training on AP access courses.
Goal 2: By End of 2025, implement the recommendations from the Dual Enrollment Taskforce to increase exposure and enrollment in Dual Enrollment courses.
- Taskforce recommendations TBD. Meetings scheduled bi-weekly January-March.
Goal 3: By End of 2025, establish partnerships with industry partners to expand career-ready pathways within traditional high schools.
- Begin preliminary discussions with Industry partners on pathway expansion in traditional high schools.
- Engage in meeting cadence with identified partners to create partnership framework.
- Communicate and promote new pathways to eligible students and families ahead in preparation for SY26-27 enrollment.
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2.9 Discipline (New)
Identify strategies to address discipline disparities in subgroups.
What do we plan to do?
In alignment with our Equity Plan and efforts, here are our goals:
Goal 1: By Summer 2025, revise the APS Code of Conduct to include clear, equitable, and consistent discipline practices.
- Establish a Discipline Leadership Committee.
- Review, Revise, and Align policies through the Discipline Policy Review Committee.
Goal 2: By End of 2025, design and implement a district-wide data tracking system for the utilization of restorative practices to reduce suspensions and disciplinary referrals.
- Monitor and provide feedback.
- Implement and Facilitate At-Promise Center Intervention Program.
Student & Stakeholder Engagement
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3.1 Identify Barriers
Work with student, employee, alumni, and community stakeholder groups to identify key barriers to excellence within the school system and community.
What do we plan to do?
Students:
- Develop a regular cadence for student office hours with Superintendent Johnson.
- Implementation of the Talk It Out mental health text line for students.
- Development and implementation of the Superintendent's Middle School Leadership Alliance (SMSLA).
- Identify ways to engage with special populations (Exceptional students, ESOL, etc.) to enhance the inclusivity of student voice.
Staff
- Open Office Hours: Provide virtual and in-person opportunities to receive feedback from staff (continuing on November and January Office Hours).
- Teacher Advisory Committee: Continue to attend and engage with the Teacher Advisory Council.
- School Visits: Intentionally build in staff conversations during school visits.
- One-on-One Meetings: Continue meeting with staff as individual feedback and solutions are identified.
Community & Alumni
- The qualitative feedback from this engagement will be incorporated into the Needs Assessment as part of our strategic planning process.
- Our strategic plan will address the themes.
- We will continue to engage parents and community groups to identify these barriers to instructional quality and student achievement.
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3.2 Board Members
Develop a cadence to meet with each board member to continue to gain understanding of key priorities for the system.
What do we plan to do?
We will continue to implement our communications protocols and meeting cadence. As the need arises, we will adjust to fit the need of the board and superintendent.
In addition, we will continue to identify strategies to ensure the Board and Superintendent are seen as One APS vs. two different entities. This may be achieved in our language, our branding, our physical space, but most importantly, through our strategic plan.
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3.3 School Visits
Visit schools to gain a better understanding of the work taking place within schools to support student achievement.
What do we plan to do?
Continue to visit schools and classrooms across the district.
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3.4 Cluster Advisory
Host Cluster Advisory meetings to understand local school governance work.
What do we plan to do?
Meet with the Cluster Advisory Teams in Spring 2025 as a follow up.
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3.5 Community Meetings
Host community meetings in each school board district to solicit input on areas of success and areas of opportunity.
What do we plan to do?
- The qualitative feedback from the parent listening sessions and the survey will be incorporated into the Needs Assessment as part of our strategic planning process.
- Our strategic plan should address the themes identified during these sessions.
- Cluster specific themes were shared with Cluster Superintendents and Cluster Advisory Teams.
By Summer 2025, we will leverage the feedback from these sessions to inform the new APS Strategic Plan.
- Create Needs Assessment
- Continue engaging the community
- Approve aligned strategic plan
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3.6 Community Events
Attend at least one community event within every school board district (i.e. athletic events, faith-based organizations, civic organizations, etc.).
What do we plan to do?
By Summer 2025, we will leverage the feedback from these events to inform the new APS Strategic Plan.
- Create Needs Assessment by January 2025
- Continue engaging the community
- Approve aligned strategic plan
Continue to seek ways to engage our stakeholders where they are and how they wish to connect. Align and communicate our priorities far and wide.
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3.7 Advisory Structure
Leverage current community input structures to learn more about the school district (i.e. advisory boards, etc.) and ensure all stakeholder groups are represented by an advisory structure.
What do we plan to do?
- Continue to leverage our governance structure, stakeholder advisory groups, and topic-specific groups to better understand strengths and opportunities as well as receive feedback on our strategies. Ensure this information is shared publicly.
- Assess gaps in each of our structures (governance, stakeholder, topics) to ensure we are comprehensively addressing the needs of the district.
- Development and implementation of the Superintendent’s Middle School Leadership Alliance (SMLSA).
- Development and implementation of a parent advisory group by end of summer 2025 for new SY26.
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3.8 Partnerships
Meet with local partners from business, faith, non-profit, etc.
What do we plan to do?
By Summer 2025-----
- Hold at least two training sessions on grants for interested schools for 2024-2025, ensuring that we empower school leaders to obtain funding and steward partners.
- Create an effective standard operating procedure for tracking funding, partner impact and disbursement of funding across the district.
- Convene faith-based partners to share updates and highlight needs of schools.
- Launch the APFE strategic plan: Roll out initiatives to address key strategic priorities.
- Expand fundraising efforts: Aim to increase revenue by cultivating new corporate and philanthropic partnerships.
- Build out our APFE Board of Directors: Recruit corporate C-level board members to help increase corporate fundraising.
- Deepen community engagement: Re-establish the Corporate Advisory Committee and strengthen relationships with stakeholders.
- Enhance collaboration: Align efforts between APFE and APS staff to maximize impact on students and schools.
By End of 2025-----
- Build partnership with WABE to spotlight APS education and excellence in collaboration with Comms Team.
- Cultivate and steward partners to increase the number of effective partners by 10% (and maintain 90%).
- Increase participation in partner events by 15%, ensuring we are stewarding and cultivating strong relationships.
- Track and report impact: Implement metrics to measure the effectiveness of programs and communicate results to donors and partners.
- Grow unrestricted support: Promote the Whole Child Fund to address essential but often overlooked needs in schools.
- Build capacity: Increase the amount of admin fees raised and as a result hire personnel to ensure the APFE is equipped to execute and fulfill its new strategy.
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3.9 Small Groups
Engage students and employees in small group conversations to learn more about the system and areas of success, touching at least 300 student and staff members (both school-based and district-wide).
What do we plan to do?
Students: Throughout 2025, ensure regular touchpoints with students, providing open and honest feedback.
- Open Office Hours: Provide virtual and in-person opportunities to receive feedback from students.
- Breakfast with the Board (BWB): A regular yearly event where students and APS Board of Education members engage in meaningful dialogue.
- Student Advisory Council (SAC): Continue to attend meetings and engage with the Superintendent’s Student Advisory Council.
- Enhancing the Voices of MS Students: Development of the Middle School Leadership Alliance (MSLA), a group of diverse MS students to advise and be thought partners with the Superintendent.
- School Visits: Intentionally build in student conversation during school visits.
- One-on-One Meetings: Continue meeting with students as individual feedback and solutions are identified.
Staff:
- Open Office Hours: Provide virtual and in-person opportunities to receive feedback from staff (building on November and January Office Hours).
- Teacher Advisory Committee: Continue to attend and engage with the Teacher Advisory Council.
- School Visits: Intentionally build in staff conversations during school visits.
- One-on-One Meetings: Continue meeting with staff as individual feedback and solutions are identified.
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3.10 Communication Protocols
Develop and publish communication protocols with the school board, employees, students, and the community.
What do we plan to do?
Crisis Comms
- Conduct cross-training for Infinite Campus notification process
- Formalize district announcements process with Senior Leadership
- Rollout Say Something “reawareness” campaign
- Restructure Crisis Communications team
- Collaborate with Emergency Manager to train principals
- Purchase dedicated emergency management notification system
Multimedia Design
- Develop Communications Principals Toolkit
- Launch the Student Resources webpage
- Launch redesigned website for district and schools
- Relaunch the district APS Mobile App
- Create web publishing guidelines and policies
- Collaborate with IT to finalize project management software platform
- Continue to develop Communications Standard Operating Procedures
- Promote APS branding and style standard guidelines
District Events
- Share protocol and Quick Tips for the internal-facing APS District Events Calendar via InsideAPS
- Reimagine in-person district events due to budgetary constraints
- Utilize APS Hub and neighboring entities as event spaces
Media Relations
- Utilize Increased student voice in storytelling with reels across social media, amplifying “Excellence Everywhere”
- Coordinate Unified Agency Media Workshops (crisis comms, social media, editorial, website
- Create cadence of media 1:1 and roundtables with Superintendent
Editorial and Video Production
- Assume audio/video staff from IT
- Restructure internal communications by utilizing SharePoint/collaborate with HR regarding employee engagement
- Add video series “Rapping Rudy and Bookmark” to elevate literacy
- Create student-led programming video series
Executive Comms
- Establish a regular cadence for LinkedIn, working with Partnerships & Development.
Accountability & Operational Excellence
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4.1 Transparency
Begin development of an Open APS portal on the web that houses key information that the public desires access to and has been perceived as a barrier to transparency.
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1: By February 2025, publish and communicate the OpenAPS website.
Goal 2 : Throughout 2025, maintain the OpenAPS website with current data and add sources that become important to the community to ensure transparency.
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4.2 Progress
Launch a live weblink where the public can track progress on first 100 day activities: www.atlantapublicschools.us/first100days
What do we plan to do?
After publishing updates on every task, we will begin embedding the work of these tasks into the next APS Strategic Plan.
By Summer 2025, we will leverage the feedback from these tasks/actions to inform the new APS Strategic Plan
- Embed the work in the strategic plan
- Approve aligned strategic plan
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4.3 Build Trust
Identify and develop additional systems and structures to promote transparency and accountability that will continue to build trust with the community.
What do we plan to do?
Assess:
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Continue internal review with ongoing focus group sessions for deeper understanding
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Finalize analysis of collected data and identify common themes; offer recommendations
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Review and implement recommendations from the internal review team
Engage: Continue to engage groups and individuals with concerns and feedback
Transparency: Continue to provide transparent information and data
Follow Up: Ensure follow-up after engagements
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4.4 Strategic Direction
Ensure the public is clear on strategic direction, the commitments to equity, and related work streams that will be implemented.
What do we plan to do?
Accelerated the first phase of a new literacy program to implement it in all elementary schools.
Established a portal for real-time progress tracking of the 100-day plan, promoting transparency and accountability.
Continue listening series with students, parents, staff, and stakeholders.
Goal: In January 2025, launch the State of the District.
- Website (100-day plan, Needs Assessment)
- Intro Video (Superintendent/Board Chair)
- Topic Videos to be launched
Goal: By Fall 2025, communicate the final Strategic Plan.
- Website
- Social Media
- All Stakeholder Communication
- Collateral
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4.5 Current & Desired Performance
Clarify and connect current performance to strategic plan goals for the community and work with the school board to develop desired state for strategic focus areas.
What do we plan to do?
This task will be a part of our next 100 days. The Atlanta Board of Education sets the district’s Goals and Guardrails. We will begin that process in February, which will ensure we have a desired state for the district’s strategic focus areas.
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4.6 Ethics
Incorporate areas of opportunity related to ethics into strategic plan focus areas and work streams as appropriate.
What do we plan to do?
Ethics opportunities for the 2025-2030 Strategic Plan
- Proactively address concerns revealed in the employee satisfaction survey.
- Implement a mentorship program to promote ethical leadership.
- Provide additional training for customer-facing staff.
- Relaunch campaign for the Ethics Hotline to all Atlanta Public Schools stakeholders with clear expectations: how to file a report, information needed, etc.
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4.7 Recognition
Enhance and/or develop student and employee recognition programs that support our focus on excellence.
What do we plan to do?
Student Recognition
- Planning and execution of the Exceptional Students’ Prom by Spring 2025
- Development and implementation of the Middle School Leadership Alliance - a middle school student superintendent advisory group by Spring 2025
- Identify ways to engage with special populations (Exceptional students, ESOL, etc.) to enhance the inclusivity of student voice by Spring 2025
Employee Recognition
By Summer 2025,
- Leverage Viva Praise as a Recognition Tool: Implement and promote the use of Viva Praise to facilitate timely and meaningful recognition across all departments.
- Expand the Elite Program to Other Departments: Scale the Bus Driver Elite Program to include Nutrition Services, Custodial Staff, and additional operational departments to foster a district-wide culture of excellence.
- Align Recognition Framework with Core Values: Ensure the recognition framework reflects APS’s core values and incorporates targeted customer service and recognition training for staff.
- Finalize and Launch Core Values Training: Finalize APS core values and develop a comprehensive training plan, including in-person and virtual modules, to embed these values in day-to-day practices.
By End of 2025,
- Develop and Share an Employee Recognition Toolkit: Create a practical toolkit by Fall 2025 for managers, including templates, best practices, and strategies for fostering a culture of appreciation.
- Incorporate Recognition into Pulse Surveys: Define and embed targeted questions on recognition in the Pulse Survey to gather actionable feedback on employee appreciation efforts.
- Promote Recognition Culture at the HR Summit: Lead a dedicated session at the November 2025 HR Summit to normalize and elevate employee recognition practices district-wide.
- Introduce Digital Badges for Milestones: Roll out digital badge options for email signatures by December 2025 to celebrate achievements such as service anniversaries, certifications, and other key milestones.
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4.8 Enrollment
Analyze enrollment projections across the district and review historical decisions and opportunities to balance building capacity and student enrollment.
What do we plan to do?
With SPLOST 2027 decisions needed in 12 months and FY 26 budget review/preparation including potential right-sizing, this year's annual review and potential decisions will require more engagement and have a broader impact. We plan to engage throughout 2025. We will review dual campuses in Spring 2025 and will engage throughout 2025 to address overcrowding and under-enrollment in APS schools.
By December 2025, we will have an approved plan to address overcrowding and under-enrollment in APS schools.
- Develop and share an engagement plan publicly
- Review Dual Campuses (Spring 2025).
- Partner district-wide to address overcrowding and under-enrollment in APS schools (Spring - Fall 2025).
- If redistricting, Superintendent presents the recommendation to the Board for their consideration, and receive public comment (November-December 2025).
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4.9 Efficiency
Assess areas of organization to determine operational efficiency opportunities.
What do we plan to do?
- Schedule and finalize deployment details for surveys in the Center for Learning & Leadership and schools.
- Conduct additional focus groups and stakeholder interviews.
- Finalize analysis of collected data and identify common themes.
- Develop clear communication protocols and standardized procedures for central office support.
- Continue focus group sessions to deepen understanding of identified themes.
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4.10 Budget
Conduct a deep-dive into the budgeting process to ensure and support maximization of resources to improve student achievement.
What do we plan to do?
We will begin the process of building a more sustainable, aligned budget with the FY2026 budget process.
- Build a multi-year financial plan with an emphasis on sustainability to restore fund balance.
- Opt-out of state homestead exemption to protect access to local revenue; work with local legislators to identify more targeted tax relief opportunities.
- Support the facilities-master planning process which seeks to “right-size” the district based on enrollment trends and projections.
- Continue to monitor revenue opportunities/ challenges, including pension liability, district participation in TADS, and potential changes to state and federal funding.
- Develop a budget focused on aligning expenditures with student outcomes.
- Strategically reduce central office budgets.
- Develop a baseline of funding for traditional school budgets and increase accountability with school-based expenditures.
- Review programing such as Turnaround, Signature, Readers are Leaders, etc. to identify opportunities for increased efficiency and effectiveness.
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4.11 Support
Review department head briefing documents to assess how I can support the work taking place within the system.
What do we plan to do?
- Continue our leadership team meetings and structure.
- Continue to improve our organizational structure, processes, and procedures based on creating more efficiency and effectiveness across the district.
- Through the feedback from Impact Support Initiative, address silos and cross-functional work across divisions and departments.
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4.12.A. Nutrition & Transportation
Review department head briefing documents to assess how I can support the work taking place within the system.
What do we plan to do?
Nutrition
Revenue Goal: By Summer 2025, achieve 65% Lunch program participation and 40% Breakfast program participation.
- On-site reviews for all 72 schools by Feb 1, 2025 for breakfast and lunch.
- Supper and Snack programs are reviewed within the first 4 weeks of start date.
- Implemented Principal Report Card to monitor food quality.
- Implemented “Chew Crew” student engagement program to taste and provide feedback on proposed menu items.
- Provided monthly reports to Nutrition Cluster leaders to conduct deep dives with cafeteria staff.
Cost Goal: By Summer 2025, achieve 42% FC (Food Cost) and 15 to 16 MPLH (Meals Per Labor Hour).
- Bi-Monthly financial meeting with Chief Operations Officer to review Nutrition Services department.
- Provided monthly cost reports to Nutrition Cluster leaders to address with cafeteria staff.
- Review menu quarterly based on reception, cost, seasonal locally grown options and Chew Crew feedback.
- Established payroll review process to monitor overtime and assess.
- Continuous leveling of FTEs based on meal participation and meal programs.
People Goal: By Spring 2025, achieve Gallup Q12 survey participation rate of 75%. What we’ve done:
- Established an internal feedback process.
- Established weekly onboarding sessions for new hires.
- Implemented Nutrition News and Notes (N3) employee newsletter.
- Coordinated with APS Adult Education for staff seeking GED and ServSafe support.
- Create a Manager in Training (MIT) program for career advancement.
Transportation
By Summer 2025,
- Distribute principal and parent report card and collect results.
- Receive, in-service, and deploy 38 additional new buses.
- Create SOP’s for bus driver route bidding and field trip bidding.
By End of 2025,
- Maintain or exceed on-time arrival (OTA) of 95% AM and PM.
- Reduce number of preventable accidents by 10%.
- Maintain or exceed staffing numbers of 96%.
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4.13 Safety & Security (New)
Identify strategies to enhance safety and security efforts
What do we plan to do?
Goal 1: By Summer 2025, increase daily visibility and presence in Elementary Schools
- Continue to meet with the Safety and Security Task Force to determine specific actions needed to enhance safety and security.
- Onboard 23 elementary SROs.
- Prioritize the recommendations from the district wide Safety and Security assessment and develop plans to implement those recommendations.
Goal 2: By Summer 2025, see improved school climate survey results
- Maintain Daily Check-ins and community interactions at Elementary Schools.
- Creating more Positive Police Interactions (PPIs) such as Book & Badges.
- Use external insights from community crime stats to understand and prepare for potential challenges.
Goal 3: By Summer 2025, reduce the number of juvenile cases and charges.
- Increasing the number of SRO led restorative practices.
- Conduct Restorative Conferences as a means to decrease student exposure to the criminal justice system.
- Bi-annual training with SROs and safety staff for restorative practices and de-escalation tactics.
Goal 4: By Summer 2025, increase district-wide safety preparedness.
- Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Inspections and compliance: Inspections to 100% and fully installed AED cameras.
- Maintain and enhance current and develop new scenario-based trainings for emergency response and lockdown procedures.
- Enhancing mobile command post technology and processes
- Training and implementing Tactical Units.
- Increasing drill reporting and compliance.
- Standardizing dispatch processes and enhancing dispatch data collection.
Goal 5: Enhance employee safety experience.
- Expanding Mobile Credentials Renewals (Fingerprinting) to school/cluster sites for staff and volunteers.
- Conduct Restorative Conferences for school based staff to avoid additional conflict and possible escalation.