[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6496653,"mediaKeyId","5590355-039cb6dd5cf06b1824615c67b9a6f14a","parentId",5590355,"title","Board approves transition of retirement recordkeeping from Lincoln Financial to TIAA, 6–0","audioSeconds",4,"startMs",3693000,"endMs",3697000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590355-039cb6dd5cf06b1824615c67b9a6f14a&start=3693&end=3697","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590355-039cb6dd5cf06b1824615c67b9a6f14a/thumbnail_3693000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6496653/Georgia/Board-approves-transition-of-retirement-recordkeeping-from-Lincoln-Financial-to-TIAA-60","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496653-9e2433767d4819b040e0d7095aa97755/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101896&Signature=R3t79LUGrOQ68zD17n~Xncb0XbMboHFIT~9ucPVsHrzcnOppW3tPT6r~IeGW6Jaos4gYEODQ5tEBI2CsHfKV-m4OUpTw~LhOapazolTRpAFpJwGrHP0e-LNNJ~MLbPR9gkqG~dlYinSXHRCgz1cl~FEpYcsUOOyjxeBeWIlXvwAimLjsbeSe0I6SaAONUCg0aiQvdJM2pY0pM~cSblh65vZaNLlwvmPAgPia4qPpxtxI-fGQ2V-2a5X9FkIdjZzI3RPgCFj-g~drJ7dQVOqRwBSf-nvSKTGzFtUTP3JJS9pLlnmUsztbFGFT8Bb3wEdt3CfiwAlRQmhu0uI58hqVXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","School Board of Georgia ","date","2025-08-15T19:51:53Z","article","The Rockdale County Board of Education voted 6–0 to approve transitioning retirement plan recordkeeping from Lincoln Financial Group to Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA), contingent on contract review and approval by the superintendent and general counsel.

The motion to authorize the transition was made by Justin Kenny and seconded by Larry Cox; after brief procedural handling the chair called the question and the board approved the motion 6–0. The board recorded the outcome but did not provide contract terms in the discussion recorded on the transcript; the approval was explicit and contingent on final contract review by the superintendent and general counsel.

The district did not present detailed financial terms or an implementation timeline during the portion of the meeting on the record. The board’s action moves the selection forward subject to contract execution and customary legal review.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","8/14/25 BOE Work Session Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Rockdale County Board of Education voted 6–0 to approve moving retirement plan recordkeeping from Lincoln Financial Group to Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA), contingent on final contract approval by the superintendent and general counsel.","taxTitle","Rockdale County, School Districts, Georgia","taxId",15315,"location","Georgia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6496658,"Rockdale schools outline plan to cut chronic absenteeism from 28.3% toward 11.8% goal",633,1299000,1932000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590355-039cb6dd5cf06b1824615c67b9a6f14a&start=1299&end=1932","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590355-039cb6dd5cf06b1824615c67b9a6f14a/thumbnail_1299000.jpg","/articles/6496658/Georgia/Rockdale-schools-outline-plan-to-cut-chronic-absenteeism-from-283-toward-118-goal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496658-4a61a4bae5a35738e4dae1b1800be291/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101896&Signature=WVy5gC7YUgtAOenYdlD44kIJyo~S4IkhghqPgD2dqm-Uf4Vp9i~j-9urENRReyaP1k~X5qj8aqp7NQKhw6W2f36VUlRciXrvGtz9KRNQVfzMuisp3vmhrBGOQRFq2qlAt8mwA2ai7ySPl2aOhX3SfgldUUtry0mSiCAyNcbiKjBehtAejHNKPS2xj~V6bOv1qEmef67NG2ybuWP6SARoPE06SXsaSwG9-73vdYYmwzEifJlypS0iyrA4so3FFgxB-GTwuJ5V2rhodciQoXFNWXMf2bh~f4v2rAX04rgr6FQfWiKUvwKPZvd28NLU6oVKGXsnqaxf4ufyVf255N1JVg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rockdale County Public Schools officials presented data showing the district’s chronic absenteeism rate at 28.3% for the 2024–25 school year and outlined a plan of interventions aimed at reducing that rate to roughly 11.8%.

April Fallon, the district’s presenter on attendance issues, told the board the district’s chronic absenteeism rate (students missing 10% or more of enrolled days) rose after the COVID‑19 period and has stayed above the state average; the district’s 28.3% compared with about 19.5% statewide for 2024–25. Fallon said kindergarten and high school — particularly seniors — show notable rates of absence and that the district has identified primary reasons reported by students: illness (about three‑quarters of responses), doctor’s appointments, bad weather, family emergencies and family vacations.

Fallon described a multi‑tiered roadmap of supports and interventions the district is deploying: increased family engagement and automated and school‑level messaging; daily and weekly recognition for attendance rather than only end‑of‑term awards; school‑level routines to strengthen student‑adult relationships; targeted case management for students with prior attendance or behavior issues; and use of an early‑warning tool in the student information system to identify and intervene when absence patterns begin. The presentation noted that the district will target the four schools with the highest absentee rates for intensified outreach and that school social workers have been present at open houses and other events to build connection and outreach.

Fallon said the district generally does not provisionally enroll students without key disciplinary records and emphasized that staff will attempt to obtain previous‑school records before placing a student. She described a case‑management team used to assess placement and supports for incoming students who have disciplinary histories or safety concerns.

The presentation also referenced new state law (Senate Bill 123, effective July 1) requiring attendance support teams and county protocol meetings with superior court judges; Fallon said Rockdale has maintained attendance protocols and already holds county‑level coordination with judges and partners and that a judge will convene a meeting later in September to review protocols.

Board members asked about parent communication. Fallon said the district uses automated absence notifications, school and district messaging, letters inviting parents after five unexcused absences and contractual parent conferences for families whose children missed 15 or more days in the prior year. She said the district’s technology team is working to improve same‑day attendance notifications to parents and that schools will employ daily and weekly recognition to incentivize attendance.

The district framed the attendance work as a community effort requiring schools, families, juvenile court and child‑welfare partners to help reduce barriers to daily attendance.

Fallon closed by noting planned support activities during Attendance Month: school social‑worker outreach, lunch‑hour tables and targeted campaigns at the most affected schools to gather student feedback and design local interventions.","District officials presented data showing Rockdale’s chronic absenteeism at 28.3% for 2024–25, higher than the state, and described a multi-pronged strategy — family outreach, case management, early warning systems and community partnerships — to reduce the rate.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6496663,"Rockdale schools seek $528,770 amendment to Stepping Stones contract for special‑education providers",245,122000,367000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5590355-039cb6dd5cf06b1824615c67b9a6f14a&start=122&end=367","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5590355-039cb6dd5cf06b1824615c67b9a6f14a/thumbnail_122000.jpg","/articles/6496663/Georgia/Rockdale-schools-seek-528770-amendment-to-Stepping-Stones-contract-for-specialeducation-providers","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6496663-57fa94e5c0c4cd2f9427fcedfd49b3bd/orig.mp4?Expires=1771101896&Signature=TXlt2Hb~LUJRG4Eeq8UZBmNXy-hq~8Rz5-lbt7WGcklcYG0shXIL9bwzzqsT-o7R8cfLcjAbFe9lIwGsYx4z4aIpGM7EyX5fJoDibIBT7Wi7Flzhym6OyfGnG~Mlyti4OWr06G8Vyg3JmZ8A~gzJNPVNNnyQu33Qw1~1Jsm25W1Qw4mtqVI2v6Tpj8JGPp0PVDgUWbd1imYeWz9KKRHB5xueuPJHO54JzRI~XkEFHHaTKAJNG6H9yc1N-LDaqBE8mc3h3OyQf7H-gVwzVimW1mKLlexMqcnmelwkfyKYpJcPGKfsNmnDXPwMmht7I3rXaVy3dPUCSDPKBZvlHOOOxA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Rockdale County Public Schools presented an action item asking the board to approve an amendment to the district’s contract with the Stepping Stones Group that would add professional special‑education providers and carry a maximum additional cost of $528,770.

The amendment request, presented by Dr. Zalpine Smith Dixon, a cabinet member and presenter on special education services, would expand the Stepping Stones Group agreement so the district could purchase services for additional speech‑language pathologists (SLPs) and other related service providers. The superintendent reported the board previously approved a Stepping Stones contract for $1,771,490 in May 2025; if the amendment is accepted and the additional providers are supplied and accepted by the district, the combined contract value would be $2,290,260.

The district described a national shortage of speech‑language pathologists as a driver of the request and outlined current needs. The presentation said 1,141 Rockdale students are identified as receiving speech services; the district described plans using two major vendors, several independent contractors and direct hires. The written action item presented to the board requests authority to purchase additional service providers “up to 17 SLPs, 2 sign language interpreters, 1 nurse, and 1 physical therapist,” with the additional funds to come from federal IDEA Part B (Section 611) funds.

No formal vote on the amendment was taken during the meeting. Later in the session the board voted 6–0 to place the meeting’s action items on a consent agenda for the next regular session; as a result, the Stepping Stones amendment was presented to be considered on that upcoming consent agenda rather than being decided at this meeting.

If approved on the consent agenda, the district will use federal IDEA funds to pay the additional $528,770. The district emphasized that the amendment would allow it to respond quickly to Individualized Education Program (IEP) service needs caused in part by recruitment and retention challenges for SLPs.

The presentation included background on staffing changes: one direct hire of an SLP was reported as successful, while other vendors previously anticipated to provide services were unable to move forward. The district said it will continue a mix of vendors, contractors and hires to fill identified needs in the FY26 plan.

The superintendent and staff did not request immediate board action at this meeting; instead, the item was placed on the consent agenda for a subsequent meeting where the board will formally vote.","District leaders asked the board to amend a contract with Stepping Stones Group to secure additional speech‑language pathologists and related providers to serve students with IEPs, funded by federal IDEA (Part B) Section 611 dollars; action was presented for placement on the consent agenda for a future vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Board approves transition of retirement recordkeeping from Lincoln Financial to TIAA, 6–0

Rockdale schools outline plan to cut chronic absenteeism from 28.3% toward 11.8% goal

Rockdale schools seek $528,770 amendment to Stepping Stones contract for special‑education providers