By a 7-0 vote Thursday, the Cobb Board of Education adopted a fiscal year 2027 budget of nearly $1.9 billion.
The budget was adopted as presented last month with little discussion, either from the board or the public.
The budget—which would go into effect on July 1—is based on holding the property tax rate at 18.7 mills and four percent growth in the Cobb tax digest (budget filings can be found at this link).
To address the lack of raises in the FY 2027 proposal, the school board last month voted to to take more than $7 million from its current fund balance to pay for one-time bonuses for non-temporary employees.
Those $2,000 bonuses were approved by the Georgia legislature earlier this year. The total cost to the Cobb school district is around $30 million, with the state providing $22 million in the current fiscal year budget.
“We’re not in a confetti-dropping, champagne-popping situation. But we’re not the alternative either,” Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale said in April, calling this a “catch-up” budget following employee raises last year.
Employees eligible for “STEP” increases as part of their employment contracts will still get those, to the tune of $16 million.
Another line item of $3.5 million will go to hire literacy coaches across the district, but it’s unclear now how that money will be used pending state guidance.
The budget also factors in the reduction of 185 teaching allotment positions due to lower enrollment and to balance the budget. No teaching layoffs will occur, but the cuts would be made through attrition and reassignments.
Lost positions include some media specialists, with schools being limited to one each.
Losing those allotments will result in a budget decrease of nearly $22 million.
The fiscal year 2027 budget begins on July 1.
Staff changes announced
Also on Thursday, the school board signed off on new major administrative and principal assignments.
They include Dr. Kristi Lankford, who will be the new principal at Timber Ridge Elementary School starting July 1.
She is an assistant principal at Pearson Middle School and will be succeeding Shannon McGill, who is retiring.
The Cobb school district’s new chief of staff will be Matt Moody, an assistant superintendent for high schools. He will replace Sheri Hill, who is retiring.
The district’s new chief academic officer will be Kevin Carpenter, who for the last two years has been an assistant superintendent for 23 elementary schools, most of them in East Cobb.
He will start on July 1 following the retirement of Catherine Mallanda, a former Walton High School principal.
Related:
- Kell HS students recognized as Student Emmy Award winners
- Hightower Trail MS named Georgia Military Flagship school
- East Cobb PTA names Margie Hatfield Scholarship recipients
- East Cobb students surprise mothers with ‘dazzling diamonds’
- Cobb school district honors 2026 retirees at luncheon
- East Cobb TECH Tigers earn team award at FIRST championships
- East Cobb County Council of PTAs honors community partner
- Cobb school board candidate profile: Nichelle Davis, Post 6
- Cobb school board candidate profile: Jennifer Susko, Post 6
- Cobb school board candidate profile: Susan McCartney, Post 4
- Cobb school board candidate profile: Micheal Garza, Post 4
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