The Atlanta school board approved spending up to $138,700 for help from a public relations firm, in part to raise awareness of the district’s new Center for Equity and Social Justice.
Board members in December agreed to increase a contract with KQ Communications to allow for an additional $80,000 in spending this budget year, up from a previously authorized $58,700, according to documents.
The cost will be covered through Atlanta Public Schools’ general fund, which has a budget of more than $900 million.
The money will be used to create a communications plan and “equity-focused publications,” manage events and social media, and support strategies to engage families and community members in the district’s equity-related work.
In September, APS officially launched an equity center. The work entails addressing disproportionate discipline practices, expanding access to extracurricular activities and ensuring equitable funding to schools.
To support the effort, APS last year hired its first chief equity and social justice officer, a cabinet-level position that reports directly to the superintendent.
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