April 10, 2026 – Public schools and students across Georgia participated in a statewide Day of Service on March 18, 2026 – an initiative focused on community connection, real-world learning, and civic responsibility led by 2026 Georgia Teacher of the Year Rachel Kinsaul.

Kinsaul, whose theme as Georgia Teacher of the Year is “Rooted in Service,” encouraged schools and districts across the state to join her in the Day of Service, engaging students in meaningful service learning and adapting the initiative to needs in their own communities.

“Our first statewide Day of Service was proof that so many teachers have a heart for service and understand the importance of getting students involved with these projects,” Kinsaul said. “As the stories began to flood in, I was in awe that so many groups took part in the challenge. I hope this is a project that will continue to grow year after year.”

The idea for the Day of Service initiative began in 2019, when Kinsaul – an agricultural science teacher at Morgan County High School – noticed many students had little to no community service experience while completing FFA Degree applications. This realization sparked the Sophomores Serve program at MCHS.

With support from school leadership, the concept evolved into a coordinated, schoolwide effort focused on sophomore students. Over the past five years, Kinsaul has organized the event annually and coordinated with local nonprofits to secure service sites throughout the community. Students are able to choose where they serve – a strategy that builds ownership and enthusiasm for the experience.

For the statewide Day of Service, schools and districts were able to identify nonprofit organizations and community partners in their local communities, then determine which student group or grade level would be the best fit. Service projects could be embedded in the existing curriculum, allowing students to see how classroom skills translate into real-world applications.

“I’m so proud of the students, educators, and schools across Georgia who stepped up to serve their communities through this day of service – and I’m especially grateful to Rachel Kinsaul for bringing this vision to life,” State School Superintendent Richard Woods said. “This is what public education is all about – preparing students for life and helping them become part of something bigger than themselves and make a real-world impact.”

Kinsaul’s statewide Day of Service was recognized by  in the Georgia General Assembly.

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State Board of Education member Leonte Benton will hold a public hearing for citizens in the 6th Congressional District on Thursday, April 23, 2026 from 7 to 8 p.m. at Langston Hughes High School, 7510 Hall Road, Fairburn, GA 30213.

The purpose of the hearing is to hear comments from interested citizens and educators within the congressional district regarding K-12 public education. Those wishing to speak should sign in upon arrival. For more information, please contact Geraldine Price at gprice@doe.k12.ga.us.

The Georgia Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, or access to, or operations of its programs, services, or activities. Individuals who need assistance or auxiliary aids for participation in this public forum are invited to make their needs known to gprice@doe.k12.ga.us no later than 72 hours before the scheduled event.

The 6th Congressional District includes the following school districts:

• Cobb County (partial)
• Coweta County (partial)
• Douglas County (partial)
• Fayette County (partial)
• Fulton County (partial)

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DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — The former superintendent of DeKalb County Schools has been arrested, according to DeKalb County Jail records.

Devon Horton was arrested Saturday and booked into the DeKalb County Jail on charges of third-degree cruelty to children and first-degree assault. Horton was arrested by the DeKalb County Police Department.

Horton resigned from his position as DeKalb County Schools superintendent late last year after being indicted on federal charges connected to his prior tenure as superintendent of Evanston/Skokie School District 65 in Illinois.

Authorities have not released information about what led to ��ǰ��ٴDz�’s most recent arrest.

In a written statement, a spokesperson for the DeKalb County School District said, “The DeKalb County School District is aware of the reported arrest of former superintendent Dr. Devon Horton, which stems from an alleged incident not related to the school district. As this is an active legal matter with law enforcement, the district has no further information to share and will not be making additional statements. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our highest priority.”

Horton was named the sole finalist for the superintendent position in April 2023 following a months-long search. Two weeks later, the DeKalb County School Board voted 6-1 to approve his contract, a decision that followed heated public forums and raised concerns among parents and educators.

During those meetings, critics questioned ��ǰ��ٴDz�’s leadership record and pointed to a 2021 federal lawsuit involving his former Illinois district that accused officials of promoting what was described as “race-based programming.”

Former DeKalb County School Board member Dr. Joyce Morley previously said that the board was aware of past financial issues and an ongoing criminal investigation connected to Horton before his hiring.

“The board already knew,” Morley said. “We had an anonymous package sent to us last year, August 2024, that showed about 14 indictments that they were suggesting.”

The investigation into ��ǰ��ٴDz�’s arrest remains ongoing.

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The DeKalb County School District is once again facing leadership turmoil after Superintendent Dr. Devon Horton submitted his resignation amid federal fraud .

On Wednesday, the DeKalb County Board of Education voted 6-1 to accept ��ǰ��ٴDz�’s resignation, effective November 15. Board member Melanie Slaton was the lone vote against the decision.

��ǰ��ٴDz�’s resignation follows last week’s federal indictment alleging he accepted kickbacks on contracts while serving as superintendent of a small school district in a Chicago suburb, prior to his arrival in Georgia.

“Given the recent federal indictment involving Dr. Horton related to his employment in a prior school district, the Board believes this action is in the best interest of the DeKalb County School District,” stated Board Chair Deirdre Pierce. “We recognize the seriousness of the situation and remain committed to transparency, accountability, and maintaining public trust. While there will be changes ahead, please know that the Board remains fully committed to our ongoing work, including key initiatives such as the Student Assignment Project (SAP), and providing a high-quality education for all students.” 

Horton was relieved of his duties on Thursday. The following day, the district appointed Dr. Norman C. Sauce III as interim superintendent.

“The board has full confidence in Dr. Sauce’s leadership during this transition,” Pierce added. “His experience, steady demeanor, and strong relationships within the district will help ensure continuity and focus on what matters most — the continued success of our students and staff.”

In addition to accepting ��ǰ��ٴDz�’s resignation, the school board voted unanimously (7-0) to authorize a forensic audit of district contracts and ��ǰ��ٴDz�’s purchasing card (P-card) statements. The audit is intended to “ensure full transparency and accountability” across all district spending and procurement processes.

In the statement to parents, the DeKalb County Board of Education has promised a seamless leadership transition.

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Devon Horton, the current Superintendent of DeKalb County Schools, has been indicted today by the U.S. Attorney’s Office due to his time as the former Superintendent of Evanston/Skokie District 65. According to an email to District 65 families, the criminal charges against Horton were filed “for acts he allegedly committed while serving as Superintendent of District 65.”

Horton was the Superintendent of Evanston/Skokie district from July 2020 through June 2023. Since then, he has , the third-largest school district in the state of Georgia. 

“The District has been aware of the ongoing investigation and has fully supported the process,” District 65 Board of Education President Sergio Hernandez and vice president Nichole Pinkard wrote in the email to the community.

“We are deeply troubled and angered by these allegations,” the spokesman for District 65 wrote. “Now that the federal government has formally indicted, the District is reviewing the specific details of the indictment with the District’s legal counsel.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated as more information becomes available.

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Students whose families earn $200,000 or less will attend Emory University tuition-free starting in fall 2026.

“Offering free tuition to every student whose family income is $200,000 or less is about leadership,” says Interim President Leah Ward Sears. “We want great students to come here without regard to the cost. And we will do everything in our power to give them a great education without the burden of crushing debt. 

This transformative scholarship, , represents a significant expansion of the university’s financial aid program and continues Emory’s longstanding commitment to support talented students by making a preeminent education more attainable.  

All new and returning domestic undergraduate students who meet the income requirements and are eligible for need-based aid will be considered for Emory Advantage Plus next fall. Emory will also continue to meet 100% of demonstrated need for all domestic undergraduate students.  

“When students sit at the kitchen table with their parents to discuss college, I don’t want finances to be a consideration,” Sears explains. “If they qualify to come to Emory and they want to come to Emory, we will make sure they can afford Emory.”  

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As of July 1, Georgia is missing more than $222 million in federally approved funds frozen by the U.S. Department of Education, raising alarm among state leaders and school districts.

In a statement this morning, State Superintendent Richard Woods called for fiscal responsibility by releasing the already approved funds.

“I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility, which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies, but also means being responsible – releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump. In Georgia, we’re getting ready to start the school year, so I call on federal funds to be released so we can ensure the success of our students.”

The withheld funds, earmarked to support summer and after-school programs for migrant students, English learners, and underserved communities, were authorized in a continuing resolution passed by Congress in March and signed into law by President Trump.

With Georgia is missing more than $223,888,870, students will suffer, according to NEA President Becky Pringle.

“Withholding billions in promised federal education funding that students need—and states had planned to use to support children in their states—is a cruel betrayal of students, especially those who rely on critical support services. Schools are already grappling with severe teacher shortages, burnout, and under-resourced classrooms, and here comes the federal government ripping resources away from public schools. It is outrageous and unconscionable.

Impoundment and Congressional Rescission

This delay of funds, known as impoundment, occurs when the executive branch withholds funds that Congress has appropriated. While the president can temporarily hold back funds, the Impoundment Control Act prohibits permanent withholding without Congressional approval. To do so legally, the administration must issue a “special message” to Congress outlining a formal request for rescission. This allows for a 45-day review period during which both chambers must approve the withholding. To date, no such message has been submitted for these K–12 education funds.

If Congress does not approve a rescission request by an administration within 45 days, the request is considered denied, and the administration must release the funds. As of the time of this posting, no special message has been sent by the current Administration to Congress regarding these four programs.

Annual practice is that, after Congress appropriates the funds, ED provides states and territories with “allocation tables” that inform them of the exact amount of funding they will receive from each federal education formula grant program. Typically, ED provides state educational agencies with the formula program allocation tables and access to draw down those funds by July 1, allowing states and districts to plan, budget, and begin spending for the upcoming school year.

Typically, by July 1 each year, the Department of Education distributes “allocation tables” to states and territories, allowing education agencies to plan budgets and begin accessing funds. The delay now jeopardizes programs scheduled for summer and early fall, with unallocated money at risk of expiring and reverting to the U.S. Treasury.

Impacted Student Programs

As of today, states have not received the allocation tables necessary for them to draw down funds for several education programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and available through the continuing resolution. Five of these programs include:

1. . These funds support migratory children in reaching challenging academic standards and graduating from high school.
2. . These funds support increasing student achievement by improving the quality and effectiveness of educators and underserved students’ access to effective educators.
3. . These funds help students learn English and meet challenging state academic standards.
4. . These funds support improving student academic achievement, including providing students with access to a well-rounded education, enhancing school conditions for student learning, and enhancing the use of technology.
5. . These funds provide academic enrichment opportunities, such as literacy and other educational services, during non-school hours (e.g., through after-school or summer programs) for students and their families, particularly those in underserved and low-performing schools.

Nationwide, an estimated total of $6.2 billion in Congressionally appropriated funds across these five programs currently remains unavailable to states and territories. All states and territories are facing severe impacts, with the funds across these five programs totaling 10% or more of their overall federal K–12 funding. For 17 states and territories, the total funds are 15% or more of their overall federal K–12 funding, potentially forcing severe cuts to critical programs.

Government Accountability Office (GAO)

If the Education Department refuses to make these funds available to states and territories without Congressional approval, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) is responsible for .

Starting on July 1, the GAO can investigate the effects of the withholding on states and territories, school districts, and students and report illegal impoundment to Congress. The GAO can then bring civil action against the Executive Branch for failing to obligate appropriated funds in a timely manner.

GAO is already investigating at  of the  by the current Administration. The GAO is beginning to release initial findings from some of the investigations and , for example, that the Administration illegally withheld funds intended for the Institute of Museum and Library Services. If the GAO takes civil action as a result of any of these investigations, it will be a lengthy process that could eventually reach the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Trump administration is blocking nearly $7 billion in approved education funding from reaching states and school districts. A state-by-state of the funding at stake is provided below.

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Hooper Renick School, once the only school for Blacks in Gwinnett County, is now a library and living archive, thanks to an intergovernmental agreement between Gwinnett County and the city of Lawrenceville. The ribbon-cutting ceremony today was full of energy and history for those familiar with segregation in the second most populous city in the state of Georgia.

“While there was give and take in reaching the Agreement between the city and county, the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee is excited that the Hooper-Renwick School building will be preserved for future generations and will re-emerge as the Hooper-Renwick Library,” said Theresa Bailey, chair of the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee. “This historically significant structure will stand as a tribute to the African American community, past, present and future, and their experience in Gwinnett County.” 

The agreement, which was approved at the Gwinnett County Board of Commissioners and Lawrenceville City Council meeting(s) in December 2020, was a vision in the making since 2017 when the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee (HRLPC) was formed to explore the possibility of preserving the historic site of Gwinnett County’s only school for black students for decades.  

“The preservation of the Hooper-Renwick School is the capstone of the SouthLawn development,” said Mayor David Still in 2020 with the agreement.   “We are delighted to see this important piece of our community’s history preserved.  This is local government at its very best – a creative partnership between city and county sparked by a dedicated committee of community volunteers.”

Rocky Knob School in Lawrenceville served black students from 1885 until destroyed by a tornado in 1924.  In 1944, Mack Renwick donated three acres on Neal Boulevard for a school for black students.  A three-room building was constructed on the property, and in 1951, the 12-classroom brick structure currently on the site was built, serving Gwinnett’s black students until desegregation in 1968.

The City agreed to donate artifacts from the former Hooper-Renwick School, including wood flooring from the gym, a scoreboard, a cafeteria window, and lettering from the existing building.  The City and County also worked closely with the HRLPC to gather additional artifacts and memorabilia to display in the Library.

“The new Lawrenceville branch of the Gwinnett Public Library will be the first themed library in the Southeast,” said then Gwinnett District 4 Commissioner Marlene Fosque. “As a themed library, it will incorporate cultural and historic objects and artifacts with the library’s resources and information to benefit the patrons it serves. The new library will encourage people of today to learn about the history of segregation and desegregation in Gwinnett County through the stories, accomplishments and personal items from people who attended the Hooper-Renwick School in years past. I am truly excited about the creative and educational opportunities this presents and am grateful for the collaboration between the County, the city, and residents to make this happen.”

Gwinnett County utilized the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST) to fund construction costs, and the City of Lawrenceville provided the land, 3.8 acres, at no cost.  The approximately 25,000 square-foot themed library preserves and honors the legacy of the former Hooper-Renwick School through architectural design elements, exhibits about the school’s history, as well as segregation and desegregation in Gwinnett County.  The City and County will fund the construction and operation of the exhibits, while the City will provide streetscapes, sidewalks, pedestrian lighting, landscaping, and on-street parking.   

“We are very pleased that the creation of the Hooper-Renwick Library has passed one of its last major hurdles with the signing of this agreement,” said Joyce Moore, vice chair of the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee. “Our committee is delighted and poised to continue the essential work of designing education programs and acquiring artifacts to make the vision we’ve nurtured for the last four years a reality.”

Gwinnett County plans to designate a liaison to serve as the “Interpretive Resources Project Coordinator,” assisting the HRLPC with artifact collection, coordinating educational messages, associated programming, and interpretive displays to showcase artifacts, and developing and implementing strategic initiatives.

Additional details of the build include:

• The library was constructed by renovating 11,400 square feet of the existing facility and building a new approximately 13,600 square foot addition, which will include a second-floor entrance facing Neal Boulevard.  
• Twenty original windows on the front façade of the original building were restored to their original appearance.
• Architectural design elements of the Hooper-Renwick School were incorporated into the Library design.
• The building meets the minimum LEED standard of “certified” as defined by the U.S. Green Building Council.
• The new Library includes approximately 1,500 square feet of community space, accommodating approximately 100 people and equipped with a sink and counter space for food preparation.

The members of the Hooper-Renwick Legacy Preservation Committee are:  Theresa Bailey, Chair; Constance Brown; Marlene Taylor-Crawford; Ronald Dunnigan; Gary Glenn; Rory Johnson; Greg Lott; John Maxey; Joyce Moore, Vice-Chair; Rubye Neal; Gwendolyn Brown Taylor; Vivian Summerour-Daniel.

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The new Forest Park Middle School will not open on the same time due to “unforseen global supply chain disruptions,” said district spokespersons on Friday.

The new middle school, located in Clayton County, was set to open in August 2025 with a $75 million price tag and is being constructed by MEJA Construction.

Due to the delay, students currently enrolled at the school will remain at their swing space until the school’s updated opening during fall break on October 13-17.

This delay will also impact the transition plan for Fountain Elementary School students, who were scheduled to relocate to the former Morrow High School temporarily. Instead, those students will remain at their current school, located at 5215 West Street in Forest Park, until further notice.

“Delays in the delivery of key construction materials are, unfortunately, due to circumstances beyond our control,” Ronick Joseph, the district’s chief of construction and SPLOST management, said in a statement.

“We understand the inconvenience this delay may cause and are deeply grateful to our community for its continued trust and investment in our schools,” Superintendent Anthony Smith said. “We are confident that the finished school will be worth the wait and will serve as a valuable asset to the Forest Park community for years to come.”

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As of Tuesday morning, the Georgia High School Association is revising its rules on student-athlete transfers, particularly those who transfer more than twice after the 9th-grade year.

At the latest GHSA Board of Trustees meeting, updates were made to Bylaw 1.60, which governs school service areas, student transfers, migrant students, and migratory waivers. What’s also included in the bylaw is that all incoming transfers are required to prove that they are making a bona fide move, which would consist of the athlete’s family providing copies of driver’s licenses, utility bills, and lease agreements.

Other key changes in the policy would include: transfer limits for students after 9th grade. Students who transfer twice after entering ninth grade will now be ruled ineligible for athletic participation for one year. This rule applies to transfers between schools that are members of the GHSA. As outlined in section 1.62-C3, eligibility is initially established when a student properly enrolls at a GHSA school and resides in the correct school zone.

Also, more proof of residence will be required. This includes families of incoming transfer students, who must now provide documented evidence of a bona fide move, or a change in residence to the new school zone. Acceptable documentation includes driver’s licenses, utility bills, and rental agreements, and may also include verification of parents’ names on the birth certificate.

In addition, proof that the previous residence has been completely vacated is required. The new rule also mandates that the entire family must relocate with the student.

Of the 13 GHSA Board of Trustees members who voted, the bylaw was passed by everyone except one member. The rule update hasn’t been officially approved yet. GHSA will vote on the update in early July.

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