Board Bulletin for 1/23/2026

 

The Fulton County Board of Education met on Thursday, January 22, 2026, for its regularly scheduled School Board meeting at the South Learning Center. The full agenda is available online via Simbli, a website that makes the Board agenda and all supporting documents available. Meetings are streamed live on the FCS homepage, with recordings available within 48 hours.

Superintendent's Report

Fulton County Schools (FCS) is closely monitoring the winter weather system expected to move through Georgia over the coming days. The district’s Emergency Response Team remains in regular communication with the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service and is closely monitoring the latest forecasts and potential impacts.

At this time, normal school operations will continue Friday through Saturday at noon. Any activities scheduled for after noon on Saturday, as well as all activities on Sunday, are cancelled or postponed.

A decision regarding school operations on Monday will be made after additional updates are received from the Georgia Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service later this weekend. The district will communicate with families as soon as more information becomes available. Please consider the FCS website at www.fultonschools.org and social media channels the official source for weather-related closing information.

CSI, TSI/ATSI, Promise Act School Update

Chief Academic Officer Brannon Gaskins shared an update about how district schools are performing and which ones need extra support from the state and federal government. Some schools improved enough to come off the support lists, while others were newly added based on their two‑year College and Career Ready Performance Index (CCRPI), which is Georgia’s statewide accountability system for measuring how well schools are preparing students for the next grade level, college, and careers. CCRPI and Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI) lists include things like overall school performance, graduation rates, and how well different student groups are doing.

To help these schools improve, the district is putting several supports in place. Schools will receive more coaching for teachers, additional help in reading and math, and more frequent check‑ins from district staff. Teams will visit schools regularly, look at student progress together, and make adjustments based on what students need. The district is also working on larger improvements such as strengthening school leadership, supporting teachers, and making sure curriculum and assessments are consistent and effective across schools.

Leaders have already met with principals, reviewed data, and planned the next steps. Families can expect the district to keep monitoring progress and provide updates throughout the school year. See the full presentation here.

Board Policy Update 

The following policies were approved by the Board:

Board Policy DFK Gifts and Bequests

• Clarifies what counts as donations, gifts, bequests, grants, sponsorships, services, equipment, and property, so schools and partners understand what falls under this policy.
• Establishes that all accepted donations become district property, requires reporting of monetary and high-value gifts, and ensures facility-related donations are reviewed by the Operations Division.
• Sets clear approval levels based on dollar amounts—from school-level acceptance up to formal Board approval—to ensure transparency and proper oversight.
• Requires donations to enhance district programs, align with policy, and prohibits gifts that pay personnel or create conflicts of interest.
• Details the guidelines for monetary donations, expectations for donated equipment, and rules for real property and services that are donated.
• Sets standards for sponsorships and outlines donation approval thresholds for sponsorships.
• Indicates a policy effective date of July 1, 2026.

Board Policy GAHB Employee Political Activities

• Prohibits employees from engaging in political activity during working hours or while performing work-related duties.
• Restricts the use of district resources, including time, equipment, networks, and personnel, for political purposes or to support any party, candidate, campaign, or political issue.
• Protects employees’ rights to participate in political activities on their own time as private citizens outside of work hours.
• Permits political or civic issue discussions in instructional settings when aligned to course standards and presented in a fair, unbiased, and policy-compliant manner.
• Requires staff to maintain objectivity in the classroom, provide balanced viewpoints, avoid sharing personal political positions, and follow all Board policies and state laws.
• Directs the superintendent to develop and communicate guidance to employees to ensure consistent understanding and implementation of this policy.

Board Policy KIA Political Campaign Materials Distribution

• Prohibits campaign activities on district property, including campaigning, signage, and distribution of political materials at any time.
• Prevents events that give unfair advantage to any candidate and allows the district to deny events that pose safety or disruption concerns.
• Protects student information by requiring voter or Selective Service registration groups to certify they will not share directory data with political entities.
• Allows political forums and town halls only outside school hours and only through the approved Facilities Use process (Board Policy KG), with the district reserving the right to deny applications for safety or operational reasons.
• Defines how elected officials may visit schools for non-campaign informational or instructional purposes with principal approval.
• Outlines permitted school-based elections, including School Governance Council and student government activities under school guidelines.
• Supports voter registration efforts that follow state law and district policy while prohibiting campaigning and safeguarding student information.
• Clarifies expectations in instruction, permitting curriculum-aligned political discussion that is objective, balanced, and free of staff political opinions.

Board Recognitions 

Each month, the Board recognizes outstanding students, staff, and schools honored at the state, national, or international level. Honorees must have placed first at the regional or state level or be among the top finishers at the national or international level. The following teams and individuals were honored at the meeting:   

• Westlake High School Marching Lions were crowned the ESPN Red Lobster High School Band of the Year
• Creekside High School football team was named the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) Sports Class 4A State Football Champions

2025-26 Community Meetings with Board Members   

Each member of the Fulton County Board of Education sponsors a monthly meeting open to all community members. The sessions provide an opportunity for direct contact with community members and give Board members a chance to listen to local issues and concerns. Click here to see the meeting schedules of all Board members.