DeKalb County School District Calendar 2027–2028

DeKalb County School District enrolled 88,716 K–12 students in a dense network of neighborhood schools, specialized programs and transfer options. The district does not cover every address that uses Atlanta or Decatur in its mail: Atlanta Public Schools and City Schools of Decatur are separate systems. Establishing the governing district and the current attendance area is the first step before comparing any choice program.

DeKalb’s School Choice catalogue cannot be treated as one uniform lottery. High Achievers Magnet eligibility uses MAP scores and GPA before a student can enter the random selection process. Arts programs can require portfolios or auditions. Montessori, dual-language, International Baccalaureate, theme schools and general transfers use their own grade ranges and selection rules. Articulation also varies: some elementary programs lead automatically to a named middle program, while other students must submit a new application at the next level.

That difference is especially visible in IB. Certain elementary participants matriculate into Druid Hills or Tucker Middle, but an IB middle-school placement does not automatically carry a student into an IB high-school program. The family must read the program’s continuation rule because each specialized path has its own transition requirements.

DeKalb is also conducting long-range facility and attendance-planning work. Draft concepts, community feedback and future recommendations should not replace the operating 2026–27 zone or an actual School Choice offer. The district must be read on two planes: the current address-based system and a large set of separately governed opportunities whose admissions and future configurations are not interchangeable.