DeKalb Schools, Emory to develop six health centers

Located in schools, centers would open over a 5-year period.

The DeKalb County School District and Emory University are collaborating on six health centers that will be located inside schools, part of a deal on the Emory Annexation which saw the school district lose a handful of students and about $3 million in tax revenue.

Officials said the centers will offer comprehen- sive services and “serve to improve the overall health and well-being of children and adolescents.”

“We know that healthy students are more likely to come to school on a daily basis, remai n engaged and excel academically,” DeKalb County School District Interim Superintendent Ramona Tyson said. “We look forward to the opportunity to form meaningful and impactful partnerships with other agencies to serve our children in need.”

T he settlement with Atlanta Public Schools calls for both school districts to evenly split an estimated $2.7 million in annual property tax revenue collected from the annexed area for five years. DeKalb would use its share to open the health clinics. Also, during the five years, students who live in the annexed area will attend DeKalb schools. Beginning in 2024, students will attend Atlanta schools and APS will collect all of the tax revenue from the area.

The health centers would open over a five-year period and be operated by Emory, w ith hopes th e y would become self-sustaining and supported through insurance revenue, and the university would try to secure grants and other funding to continue their operation.