During the February meeting, the Cobb Schools Board of Education voted to extend Superintendent Chris Ragsdale's successful run as one of the longest-tenured superintendents in any metropolitan area in the country by renewing his contract. In a 4-3 vote, the Superintendent’s contract was extended by an additional one year to the maximum three-year contract allowed by state law. Under the Superintendent's leadership, Cobb Schools has demonstrated why it is the best place to teach, lead, and learn.  

“As a Board, we are grateful to have a Superintendent and staff who provide steady, consistent leadership at the helm of one of the largest districts in the country. The common-sense approach to the challenges we face, along with consistently making decisions that prioritize our students and staff, makes our entire county better.” - Board Chair Randy Scamihorn 

Academic Success  

Since 2014, Cobb students have graduated at a higher rate, rising 7.5 percentage points in five years to 88.6% in 2020. For both the SAT and the ACT, Cobb students surpassed their peers across the state and nation for five years in a row. The same goes for student scores on the Georgia Milestones. Cobb students either ranked at the top or a close second for the highest performing districts in metro Atlanta for all three.  

In just the past two years alone, Cobb students have also banked more than 200 million in scholarship money to advance their education.

Based on the District's track record of academic excellence, stable leadership, and community, Cobb's accreditation was extended by Cognia for an unprecedented 10-year term. At the time it was extended, Cobb was the only District in the state to receive this extension.  

Staff Centered  

Cobb teachers are fundamental to student success, which is why Superintendent Ragsdale has focused on making Cobb Schools the best place for teachers to work. Forbes Magazine confirmed the Superintendent's success by naming Cobb Schools one of Georgia's Top 25 Places to Work in 2019 and 2020. Cobb ranked as the second-highest school district on the list. Superintendent Ragsdale has prioritized teachers by providing salary step increases every year since 2014 and raises for employees every year since 2015, including the largest employee raise in District history for the 2019-2020 school year.

Long before the current pandemic where schools were forced to go fully remote, Superintendent Ragsdale identified the need for a comprehensive learning platform, created by teachers for teachers, to help students succeed. So, the steps to build the Cobb Teaching and Learning System (CTLS) began. Thanks to the Superintendent prioritizing the new technology, CTLS now serves as the digital learning platform for 110,000 Cobb students and may become a model for other districts in the future.  

Safety Focused  

Safety has always been Superintendent Ragsdale's top priority. Under his leadership, the District has taken steps to increase school campuses' safety, including launching the SafeSchools Alert Tipline and testing and installing the revolutionary emergency notification system AlertPoint.  

As educators worldwide began battling the spread of COVID-19, Superintendent Ragsdale once again took steps to keep students and staff safe and healthy. Beyond organizing vaccine distributions and acquiring PPE for schools, including 20,000 gallons of hand sanitizer, 750,000 masks, and 63,000 desk shields, the District also invested in new technology to help maintain a healthy learning environment into the future. See here for a more complete list of how District leadership has responded to COVID-19 since last year, focusing on the health and safety of students and staff.  

Fiscally Responsible  

All the academic accomplishments, new technology, and staff-centered actions were achieved while Superintendent Ragsdale remained committed to maintaining the District's fiscal responsibility.  

As evidence of the District's fiscal responsibility during the Superintendent's tenure, Cobb Schools has earned AAA Ratings from Moody's since 2015 and has maintained a balanced budget even during the tumultuous financial year of 2020-2021. The District also has been awarded the Achievement of Excellence in Procurement for seven straight years and the Excellence in Accounting Award, Excellence in Financial Reporting, Best Practices in School Budgeting, and the Meritorious Budget Award.  

"It has been an honor to serve our Cobb Schools community and be part of such a great organization that prepares students for a lifetime of success," said Superintendent Ragsdale. "I am proud of what our team has accomplished over the past seven years and look forward to building on those successes."  

Other Board Business

In other Board business, it was announced that Ed-SPLOST VI would be presented to the voters in November 2021. 

Education Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (Ed-SPLOST) is a one-cent tax on all consumer goods that must be approved by voters in a referendum and can be used only for school-related capital improvements. In the past, Ed-SPLOST has funded new schools, like Pearson Middle School, replacement school buildings, like Brumby Elementary School and Clay Harmony Leland Elementary School, thousands of new classrooms, and maintenance improvements across the District.  

Board members also approved personnel changes, including the principal for the new Pearson Middle School.  

Personnel Changes:  

• Kinard, Dr. Laurel, Director, Student Assistance Programs, Teaching and Learning Support and Specialized Services Department, Academic Division, Retirement effective June 1, 2021.  
• Odom, David, Director of Procurement, Business Services Department, Operations Division, Retirement effective March 1, 2021.  
• Yoder, Dean, Appointment to Principal, Pearson Middle School from Principal, Fair Oaks Elementary School effective June 1, 2021.