Data Requests & Contact

January 23, 2026 – Superintendents

Below are your weekly updates and reminders from the Georgia Department of Education. Click here for the District Deadlines and To-Dos Dashboard.

Corrected Link: Top State for Talent FY26 School Counselor Checklist

On December 8, 2025, the Top State for Talent Act (2025 HB 192) advisement checklist for school counselors was sent to Georgia’s school counselors. This document is for school counselors to use as a guide for preparing students in grades 6-12 and a planning tool to collect and report the FY26 data as required by legislation.

Please note that this is the first step to implementing the legislative requirements. Thus, information on reporting the data gathered will be provided in an upcoming email.

Save the Date: Statewide Day of Service on March 18, 2026

As Georgia’s 2026 Teacher of the Year, Rachel Kinsaul is encouraging schools and districts across the state to engage students in meaningful service learning through a Day of Service focused on community connection, real-world learning, and civic responsibility.

The statewide Day of Service will be observed on March 18, 2026. Schools are encouraged to participate on that date or schedule their own service day, empowering districts to adapt the initiative to local needs.

Schools and districts are encouraged to complete the Day of Service participation interest form to indicate their intent to participate and receive updates as resources become available. Additional information will be shared next week.

Required Reporting – Georgia Early Literacy and Dyslexia Act

February 1 is the deadline for reporting middle-of-year (MOY) data on Universal Screening and Tiered Reading Support Plans in the MyGaDOE Portal. These data are reported by each school that serves students in grades K, 1, 2, and/or 3. School-level data must be approved by district-level administration – superintendent or curriculum director.

Implementation Update: 2025-26 Will Be a Second Parallel Year for the State Reporting System

Based on feedback from districts and in keeping with our commitment to a smooth rollout of our modernization efforts, GaDOE has decided to turn 2025-26 into a second parallel year for the State Reporting System. During this parallel year, Student Record data will continue to be sent to the state via SRS, and GaDOE will continue to work with districts and vendors on SRS, but the legacy Student Record application will serve as system of record (official data).

GaDOE is working to open the legacy Student Record application for school districts with a target go-live date of February 5, 2026.

Accountability Points of Contact

As a reminder, the Office of Assessment and Accountability strongly recommends each district superintendent appoint an Accountability Point of Contact (POC). The designated Accountability POC should be a district leader with the time and ability to learn, plan, coordinate, and oversee the district’s activities related to CCRPI and other accountability processes. Superintendents may also appoint a secondary Accountability POC. As we begin monthly Accountability Update webinars for POCs on February 18, please review your appointed POC and update as necessary by contacting GaDOE Director of Accountability Paula Swartzberg via email.

2026 CCRPI Targets Resource Files

The 2026 Achievement, English Language Proficiency, and Graduation Rate Targets Resource files are now available in the Assessment & Accountability repository in GaDOE Inspire. Once there, choose Accountability, then CCRPI Yearly Resources, then 2026 Resources to access the files. You can review the calculation of improvement targets in the Understanding CCRPI Reports document, also available in the repository under CCRPI Calculation and Report Guides.

Please contact the GaDOE accountability specialist assigned to assist your district with any questions or concerns about CCRPI and accountability.

ESSA Equitable Services for Private School Students and Staff

The ES4PS Invitation platform for the 2026-27 school year is now open. LEAs should begin the equitable services consultation process by inviting private school officials through the platform to support timely and meaningful planning for the upcoming school year. GaDOE recommends a deadline for sending invitations of February 28, 2026. This date ensures LEAs have adequate time to consult with private school officials and plan for the school year.

Overdue Eligibility and IEP

LEAs must complete initial submission in the Overdue Eligibility and IEP application inside the Special Education Applications Dashboard by Friday, January 30. The Overdue Eligibility and IEP application gives a list of students with disabilities whose last reported eligibility was over 3 years ago and/or last reported IEP over one year old. The list also includes students whose age is over 9, and the primary area is Significant Developmental Delay (SDD).

Annual Bond Questionnaire

The annual bond questionnaire is now ready and available for updates. Note that the bond questionnaire only applies to the 180 traditional school districts, and is not applicable for charters and RESAs. The questionnaire can be found in the COPS Finance Application in the MyGaDOE Portal (use Google Chrome as your browser since others can cause problems with the questionnaire).

Districts’ finance staff should complete the survey and notify the Superintendent when it is ready for sign-off. When the Superintendent logs in to certify the questionnaire, their name should automatically populate on the certification tab. If this certification page does not accurately identify them or is blank, please contact Sarah Morris prior to sign-off.

While there is no longer a separate construction questionnaire, districts must certify either their new local facility plan or their facility plan update by April 15, 2026. This action takes the place of the construction questionnaire.

GaLEADS Pilot – Cohort D Enrollment Extended

When teachers thrive, students succeed! We are excited to announce the launch of Cohort D for the GaLEADS pilot program, which will run during the 2026–27 school year. To allow more districts to join this statewide initiative, we’ve extended the sign-up deadline. If your district has not yet enrolled, now is the perfect time to take advantage of this program.

Reminder: AI Guidance and Innovation in Georgia School Districts Survey

This is a quick reminder about the AI Guidance and Innovation in Georgia School Districts Survey. A few districts have not yet participated, and we need your input to build an accurate, high‑level statewide view of AI guidance adoption. We will also share a heat map showing participation across Georgia. Your response ensures your district’s work and needs are fully represented. Thank you for your leadership and continued support of this important work!

  • Additional Information: Survey Link
  • Extended Deadline: February 6

Reminder: International Baccalaureate Exam Fee Initiative Grant Now Open

The International Baccalaureate (IB) Exam Fee Initiative Grant is intended to support students by providing financial support to partially cover exam costs for students who qualify for a fee reduction and for students who take a STEM exam at high schools offering the International Baccalaureate program. A total of $319,000 in grant funds is available, with a maximum of $40,000 per district. All Georgia public school districts with authorized IB schools administering IB exams in May 2026 are eligible to apply.