Below are your weekly updates and reminders from the Georgia Department of Education. Here are your links to the District Deadlines and To-Dos Dashboard and the Digest Archive.
Action Required: Designate Local Administrator for Enhanced Statewide Job Board
GaDOE, in partnership with the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC), is developing an enhanced statewide job board. The Teach in the Peach/TeachGeorgia job board will provide a centralized, high-visibility hub for districts to post openings and vacancies, streamlining how we attract educator talent across the state.
To ensure a seamless rollout, we need each district to designate a primary Point of Contact (POC).
Responsibilities of the District POC:
- Local Job Board Administrator: Manage and oversee the district’s job postings and vacancies on the new Teach in the Peach/TeachGeorgia job board.
- GaDOE Liaison: Work directly with the state implementation team to field district-specific questions and facilitate onboarding.
Please complete the brief survey below no later than October 23 to identify the designated POC for your district. Thank you for your prompt attention and your continued partnership in supporting Georgia’s education workforce!
- Additional Information: Designate POC
Innovative Learning Models: Apply for Cohort Two & Attend Convening to Learn More
Applications are now open for the second cohort of GaDOE’s Innovative Learning Models initiative, a partnership with the Institute for Self-Directed Learning that supports districts in designing new or redesigned school models that meet the needs of students and families.
Districts considering applying are invited to attend the first cohort’s final convening on October 28 at Plywood Place in Atlanta. Ten Georgia school districts will present the blueprints they’ve spent the past year designing alongside their communities and receive real-time feedback from a panel of experts. The event offers prospective applicants an opportunity to see what participation involves and learn more about the work before applying.
- Additional Information: Registration Link | Apply for Cohort 2
What We’re Learning From Georgia’s Special Education Teachers
More than 2,600 special education teachers from across Georgia recently shared their experiences through a statewide survey led by the Georgia Department of Education’s Human Capital team. The feedback is helping inform ongoing work related to educator recruitment, support, and retention. The article highlights key themes emerging from the survey, explains why this work began with listening rather than solutions, and outlines how educator voice will continue to shape future efforts. Read the full story: “We Asked. Educators Answered. Here’s What We’re Learning.”
- Additional Information: Article Link
Register for Georgia’s Public Schools — Stories That Shape Us
Registration remains open for Georgia’s Public Schools: Stories That Shape Us, a special evening celebrating the impact of Georgia’s public schools through stories from students, educators, and graduates. The event will take place Tuesday, October 20, at the Alliance Theatre’s Goizueta Stage in Atlanta, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the program from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Registration is complimentary, but advance registration is required and seating is limited to 300 guests. We hope to bring together an audience that extends well beyond the education community, and we’d appreciate your help in spreading the word. Please consider sharing the invitation with your teams and more broadly in your communities — including with families, business and community partners, local leaders, and others who may be interested in attending.
- Additional Information: Event Registration
- Contact: Meghan Frick, mfrick@doe.k12.ga.us
GaMTSS Cohort 2027 Application Now Open
The Georgia Multi-Tiered System of Supports (GaMTSS) Cohort 2027 opportunity provides selected districts with a dedicated GaMTSS Program Specialist who will deliver targeted coaching and technical assistance aligned to support high-quality implementation of GaMTSS. In addition to individualized support, districts and schools will have access to statewide professional development opportunities to guide effective implementation of the GaMTSS framework. Structured as a three-year initiative, this opportunity is designed to build, operationalize, and sustain a comprehensive, integrated tiered system of supports. No monetary funds will be awarded to districts. All Georgia public school districts are eligible to apply.
- Additional Information: GaDOE Grant Opportunities
- Contact: Jeannie Morris, jeannie.morris@doe.k12.ga.us
- Deadline: November 13, 2026 at 5 p.m.
Apply for the John Hancock Award
Celebrate your school’s commitment to cursive writing through the John Hancock Award. Georgia public schools may apply annually for one of two recognition levels, with qualifying schools receiving a physical John Hancock Banner and ribbon.
- Additional Information: Webpage | Award Criteria | FAQs | Application
- Contact: Kimberly Wetzel, hancockaward@doe.k12.ga.us
- Deadline: June 1, 2027 at 5 p.m.
District Spotlight
Glynn County Schools is helping teachers connect classroom instruction with real-world career opportunities through its Educator Externship Program.
The program gives educators firsthand experience with local industries, helping them better understand workplace operations, in-demand skills, and career pathways available to students. Educators from McIntosh County Schools, the College of Coastal Georgia, and Coastal Pines Technical College are also participating.
Through partnerships with regional employers, including Southeast Georgia Health System, the Jekyll Island Authority, and Federal Law Enforcement Training Centers, participating educators gain insights they can bring back to their classrooms to help students make connections between what they’re learning in school and their future careers.
- Additional Information: From Glynn County Schools
Inside GaDOE
This week, State School Superintendent Richard Woods continued visiting schools to recognize John Hancock Student Signature Award recipients, with stops in the Lanier, Atkinson, Coffee, Bacon, Liberty, Bryan, Savannah-Chatham, Dooly, and Macon county school districts. During the visits, he also distributed pocket Constitutions to students as part of GaDOE’s continued focus on connecting literacy, history, and civics.
Superintendent Woods also continued his visits with first-year teachers, meeting with educators in the Savannah-Chatham, Crisp, and Houston county school districts. The visits provide an opportunity to hear directly from new teachers about their experiences, gather their feedback, and better understand how the state can support educators entering the profession.
Superintendent Woods and Chief of Staff Christy Todd attended Fall Bootstrap this week and enjoyed connecting with superintendents from across Georgia. Christy provided an update on GaDOE’s work in literacy, teacher recruitment and retention, and innovative learning models. She was joined by partners Dr. Jody Barrow, Executive Secretary of the Georgia Professional Standards Commission; Fran Dundore, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Strategy; and Dr. Marc Feuerbach, Superintendent of Cartersville City Schools, who shared updates and local perspectives on the work underway together.
Don’t forget to explore the Professional Learning Catalog for upcoming GaDOE conferences, trainings, and events.