A watchdog group that began scrutinizing Cobb County School District finances five years ago on Facebook has launched a website.
Watching the Funds—Cobb announced Friday that its new website is designed to make it easier for citizens to track district budgeting and spending, retrieve agendas and reports, watch meetings, file open records requests and provide tips.
“For five years, we’ve tracked your tax dollars and supported our schools. Now we’ve built a one-stop resource hub for YOU by putting everything you need to hold the school board accountable in one place,” the group stated on its Facebook page, which has more than 3,000 followers.
The group also has posted a link to signup for its newsletter, and has linked to official district and other related financial pages.
Watching the Funds-Cobb began in 2021 over spending issues related to the district’s efforts to mitigate against COVID-19 (our initial post on the group is here).
Since then, group members have been active in speaking out during public comment at Cobb Board of Education meetings, and have been critical of other district spending initiatives.
In 2024, the Cobb school cancelled a previously approved $50 million special events center after Watching the Funds-Cobb revealed blueprints and other details the Cobb school district had not disclosed.
A new feature on the Watching the Funds-Cobb website is an anonymous tip and story function.
“A citizen tip helped us kill the $50 million event center,” Watching the Funds-Cobb said in announcing the website. “We’ve NEVER identified a source. Ever. The form asks for your name for follow-up questions, but you can type ‘anonymous.’ We never share sources or identifying details. We protect you because your story matters.”
Late last year, the group also revealed that school board member John Cristadoro of East Cobb was being sued in a business matter in Fulton State Court that he and his client wanted sealed from the public.
Then-board chairman David Chastain said the board had no authority to look into the matter, in which Cristadoro was accused of misusing $250,000 of client money.
Cristadoro, who settled the suit, accused his critics of “trying to tear down Cobb schools.”
Watching the Funds-Cobb leader Heather Tolley-Bauer of East Cobb said the group is a “a grassroots organization and is not formally organized.”
It’s officially non-partisan, although two former leaders have delved into politics: East Cobb residents Laura Judge, who ran against Cristadoro in 2024, and Stacy Efrat, an appointed member of the Cobb Board of Elections. Both are Democrats.
Tolley-Bauer said Watching the Funds-Cobb includes “three core leaders,” herself, Jamie Mohr and Jessica Killcreas, as well a few dozen go‑to volunteers and stakeholders we can tap for projects.”
They’re asking for non-tax-deductible donations for their work, which includes building a searchable archive as well as continuing to obtain information about school district finances through open records requests in particular.
“Donations will be used in a variety of ways, but open records requests have been our single biggest expense,” she said.
“Since the district often makes basic information hard to get, we end up filing Open Records Act requests that are delayed and come with price tags that are designed to make people give up.”
Related:
- Cobb school district 2026-27 transfer window to open
- Addison ES principal charged with DUI
- East Side ES students take part in Cobb court mock trial
- Mt. Bethel ES teacher recognized for mathematics excellence
- Republicans to continue leadership of Cobb school board
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