City Schools of Decatur

What City Schools of Decatur does

City Schools of Decatur (CSD) is a public charter school district headquartered in Decatur, Georgia, serving approximately 5,300 students across a four-square-mile footprint through 10 schools: six elementary schools, two upper elementary schools, one middle school (Beacon Hill), one high school (Decatur High), an Early Childhood Learning Center (College Heights ECLC), and the Decatur Virtual Academy. Founded in 1901 and operating as a Georgia charter system since 2013, the district offers tuition-free Pre-K through 12th-grade education to city residents, with courtesy tuition for nonresidents, and consistently ranks among the top ten districts in Georgia with a 96.04% graduation rate.

The district's technology stack is built on a portfolio of best-in-class third-party platforms: Infinite Campus for the parent/student portal and SIS, ClassLink LaunchPad for single sign-on, Finalsite for the district website, Centegix for visitor management and crisis lockdown, Evolv and OpenGate for weapons screening at the middle and high schools, Bark for monitoring student Google Workspace activity, Blackboard for mass notifications, and Simbli for board management. Instructional and student support programs include Special Education, ESOL, Gifted and Talented services, Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), and Title IX/Title VI compliance; the district also offers athletics, activities, transportation, nutrition, and equity programs. An AI Position and Principles document was adopted in January 2024, and the district is in the market for a new ERP system via RFP 26-001.

CSD is a governmental entity with no private ownership; it is funded through local property taxes (millage), Georgia state allocations, and federal Title I-IV and other grants, and governed by an elected Board of Education under a five-year state charter reauthorization last revised in May 2024. The GTM motion is direct-to-consumer enrollment of city residents with supplemental nonresident courtesy tuition; the district employs 900+ staff including 443+ teachers under Superintendent Dr. Gyimah Whitaker (in role since July 1, 2023). Recent strategic moves center on a layered safety technology rollout, a new early learning facility at Beacon Hill, and a modernization of back-office systems.

Name

City Schools of Decatur

Legal name

City Schools of Decatur

Website

https://csdecatur.net

Company type

Public

Founded year

1901

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

City Schools of Decatur is a Georgia public charter school district serving approximately 5,300 Pre-K through 12th-grade students across 10 schools in a four-square-mile footprint, funded by property taxes, state allocations, and federal grants, and ranked among the state's top ten districts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

K-12 Public Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (61111), Elementary and Secondary Schools (611110)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Public School Districts (K–12) (EDADABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Public K–12 Combined Schools (EDAJAAAE), Public Elementary Schools (EDAJAAAB), District Student Services Administration (Special Ed, Counseling, Health) (EDADABAJ), Public Special Education Schools & Programs (EDAJAAAH)

Keywords

• Public K-12 education
• Charter school district
• Special education services
• Student support services
• Early childhood learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Local Property Tax Revenue (Millage): Public school district funded primarily through local property taxes. The district holds public hearings on millage rate and property tax increases.
2. State Funding: Funding from the State of Georgia based on enrollment and formula allocations.
3. Federal Programs and Grants: Federal funding through Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV programs and other federal grants.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

City Schools of Decatur is a public charter school district providing tuition-free Pre-K through 12th grade education to approximately 5,300 students across 10 schools within the City of Decatur, Georgia. Service lines include core K-12 academic instruction, an Early Childhood Learning Center, the Decatur Virtual Academy, Special Education, ESOL and Federal Programs, Multi-Tiered System of Supports, Gifted and Talented Services, school nutrition, transportation, and athletics and activities. The district also operates district-wide safety and security infrastructure and a digital student/parent portal.

Product overview

City Schools of Decatur is a public charter school district offering comprehensive K-12 public education services across 10 schools serving approximately 5,300 students. The district operates as a unified educational platform comprising core academic programs (K-12 education, Early Childhood Learning Center, Decatur Virtual Academy), specialized support services (Special Education, ESOL/Federal Programs, Gifted and Talented Services, MTSS), and operational services (School Nutrition, Transportation, Safety and Security). The district's technology infrastructure includes Parent & Student Portal powered by Infinite Campus, weapons screening systems (Evolv/OpenGate), visitor management (Centegix), student monitoring (Bark), and communications platforms (Blackboard, Finalsite). The district also provides equity programs and Title IX/Title VI compliance services as part of its educational mission.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Decatur Bulldogs Athletics: Athletics program for City Schools of Decatur schools
• Decatur Performs
• Decatur Virtual Academy
• College Heights ECLC
• Wilson Center

Products and services

• K-12 Public Education Services Comprehensive tuition-free public education from kindergarten through 12th grade delivered across 10 schools, including four neighborhood elementary schools, two upper elementary schools, one middle school, one high school, an Early Childhood Learning Center, and the Decatur Virtual Academy, serving approximately 5,300 students.
• Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) Early learning programs for children ages 0-3 and Pre-K at the College Heights ECLC, part of a three-phase development project that includes a new facility at Beacon Hill.
• Decatur Virtual Academy Full-time virtual learning option for students seeking remote K-12 education through a dedicated online academy, with separate family resources and support materials.
• Special Education Services Comprehensive special education including Specially Designed Instruction (SDI), facilitated IEP processes, Section 504 accommodations, and the Special Needs Scholarship Program (SB 10) for students requiring individualized instruction.
• ESOL and Federal Programs English for Speakers of Other Languages instruction combined with Title I, Title II, Title III, Title IV federal program administration, McKinney-Vento support, and GOSA reporting.
• Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Integrated academic and behavioral support framework including the Early Intervention Program, Remedial Education, Student Support Team, Early Literacy Act compliance, and dyslexia screening.
• Gifted and Talented Services Services for academically gifted students including evaluation, eligibility determination, and specialized programming, with parent resources for gifted education pathways.
• School Nutrition Services Meal services including daily menus with special diet accommodations, carbohydrate counts, free and reduced-price lunch applications, civil rights statements, and a summer meals program.
• Transportation Services Bus registration, route information, address and route change requests, and a School Zone & Bus Locator powered by InfoFinder that integrates with the Parent & Student Portal.
• Athletics and Activities (Decatur Bulldogs) Wide variety of sports, arts, and after-school activities managed through the Decatur Bulldogs Athletics website and Decatur Performs activities program, serving students across all school levels.

Quantifiable outcome

• 96.04% graduation rate
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments9 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

AI capability2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• City of DecaturcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal partnership for Safe Routes to School program and general community collaboration. The district operates within the City of Decatur and collaborates on community initiatives.
• Communities in Schools of AtlantacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit partner providing dropout prevention services and student support within schools to help students succeed academically.
• Decatur Education FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit foundation supporting educational initiatives and funding for programs beyond what public funding provides.
• Decatur Housing AuthorityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support housing-insecure students and families with educational resources and coordination.
• Wylde Center Decatur Farm to SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGarden and farm education partner bringing agricultural learning experiences to students.
• Georgia Teachers Retirement SystemcoreOthersState retirement system requiring 6% employee contribution and providing 19.98% employer contribution for all eligible employees.
• Local Universities (Learn and Earn Program)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local universities providing student employment as substitutes and priority consideration for student teaching opportunities.
• Metro RESAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional educational service agency; all Metro RESA districts implement weapons screening systems.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• DeKalb County School District: The neighboring county-wide public school district within which City Schools of Decatur geographically resides. Directly comparable as a Georgia public K-12 system serving overlapping DeKalb County families.
• Atlanta Public Schools: Large urban public school district serving Atlanta, Georgia. Comparable as a Georgia K-12 public district competing for the same metro Atlanta family enrollment pool and operating under the same state charter/accountability framework.
• Savannah-Chatham County Public School System: Georgia public school district operating a city-county hybrid structure similar to City Schools of Decatur. Comparable as a Georgia public K-12 system with a charter-style operating framework and similar accountability structures.
• Cambridge Public Schools: Small, geographically constrained public school district in an urban area (Cambridge, MA). Comparable as a compact, high-performing, demographically diverse public school district with a strong reputation for academic outcomes.

Broad incumbents

• Gwinnett County Public Schools: Largest public school district in Georgia, located in metro Atlanta. Comparable as a high-performing, diverse K-12 system that competes with CSD for recognition and enrollment in the metro Atlanta area.
• Fulton County Schools: Large metro Atlanta public school district and former employer of Superintendent Dr. Gyimah Whitaker. Comparable as a high-performing Georgia K-12 district and direct competitor for Atlanta-area families considering public school options.
• Cobb County School District: One of Georgia's largest public school districts serving metro Atlanta suburbs. Comparable as a high-performing K-12 public system competing with CSD for top-tier metro Atlanta family enrollment.

Others

• Georgia Department of Education: The state education agency that charters, funds, and regulates City Schools of Decatur. Comparable as the regulatory and funding counterparty that sets the accountability framework within which CSD operates.

Regional players

• Brookline Public Schools: Compact, high-achieving public school district serving an urban-suburban Massachusetts community. Comparable as a small, high-performing, demographically diverse K-12 district with similar reputation-driven enrollment dynamics.
• Burlington School District: Small city-based public school district in Burlington, Vermont. Comparable as a compact, single-city public school district with a similar enrollment scale (~4,000-5,000 students) and similar community-anchored operating model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gyimah_whitaker
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCcFPDBIhjY5ou5WvWqie5_g
• Facebookfacebook.com/cityschoolsofdecatur
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csdecatur
• Instagraminstagram.com/cityschoolsofdecatur

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about City Schools of Decatur