Why Oak Grove Should Be Preserved - The district’s case has major problems.

1. Conflicting School Size Goals

Georgia funds elementary principals and assistant principals at 450 students K–5, and OGE’s capacity is 504. HPM is using 600 as its minimum “optimal” size without transparent support.

2. Financial Inconsistency

District overhead—not school operations—is driving costs. From 2019 to 2024, general administration grew 162%, compared with 23% for instruction and 14% for school administration.

3. Consolidation Does Not Fix Utilization

Only 18% of DeKalb schools with capacity over 600 meet the SAP’s 87% utilization target, while 56% of smaller schools do.

4. Lack of Due Diligence

No traffic engineering studies have been completed for schools proposed to expand, even though Lakeside cluster roads likely cannot support hundreds of additional students.

5. Flawed Comparison Metrics

Oak Grove’s building adequacy score is 70.86—actually the highest among nearby schools: Sagamore 68.05, Briarlake 67.79, Henderson Mill 69.22, Hawthorne 67.55.

6. Inaccurate Capacity Assumptions

HPM projects OGE losing 7.2% for 2026–27, while DeKalb’s own enrollment outlook projects OGE to grow 5%—a 13.5% swing.

7. Contradictory Land-Use Standards

OGE has 8.57 acres and is being called too small, yet DeKalb built McNair DLA for 888 capacity on 7.28 acres and Peachcrest Elementary for 984 capacity on 8.91 acres.

8. Student Success Is Being Ignored

Research shows closures and consolidations can reduce test scores for 4+ years, increase discipline issues, disrupt SPED outcomes, and push families out of DeKalb schools.

9. Community Voices Are Clear

Of 9,004 SAP Scenario 1 respondents, including 1,233 from Oak Grove, about 94% were opposed or concerned. The two main themes were: expand and renovate, do not close and schools do not meet the district’s own closure criteria.

Why Oak Grove Stands Out - Oak Grove is growing, high-performing, and a school families actively choose.

1. Clifton Corridor Is Growing

Oak Grove sits in a major growth area, with CHOA, Emory, Lulah Hills, and MARTA driving more than $4B in investment.

2. Oak Grove Is Growing Faster Than the Cluster

OGE had the highest positive enrollment growth in the Lakeside cluster, up 15.2% from 2023 to 2025, while Briarlake, Evansdale, Henderson Mill, and Sagamore Hills have all declined since 2019.

3. Families Choose Oak Grove

OGE has a 3.1% mobility rate compared with a 28% district average, and 3.6% chronic absenteeism compared with 21.2% districtwide.

4. OGE Is a Top-Performing Elementary School

Oak Grove is #1 in 3rd grade reading, #9 in CCRPI, and in the top 5 for math proficiency in DeKalb.

5. It Is Especially Important for SPED Students

OGE serves 23% SPED students, the highest of any DeKalb elementary school, and families consistently prioritize stability for students with disabilities.

6. OGE Is Becoming More Cost-Efficient

Oak Grove’s cost per student was $18,000 in October 2025, matching the district average, and is projected in 2026 to be nearly $1,700 below the district average.