Cobb schools to pay graduate degree expenses for teachers

The Cobb County School District announced Thursday a new program in which it would pay tuition costs for teachers seeking advanced degrees.

During a Cobb Board of Education work session, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale proposed a program in partnership with the University of West Georgia starting that would start this fall, with dedicated online instruction of up to five semesters for 500 select educators.

The program is called Georgia’s BEST (Building Educators’ Success Together), a teacher retention initiative Ragsdale presented to the board, saying West Georgia officials approached the district about the program.

West Georgia would discount the full cost of the degree programs, and in his proposal Ragsdale to spend $500,000 in district surplus funds to craft a proof of concept proposal, which also will include some certificate programs.

The board voted unanimously (7-0) in support of the program.

“It is that rare opportunity to offer a win-win-win opportunity,” Ragsdale said in prepared remarks. “This is one of the most important things we can do for our teachers.

“This is letting our teachers see that we are putting our money where our mouth is.”

Board member David Chastain of East Cobb made the motion to accept the proposal and authorize the spending, getting emotional as he spoke.

His late father was an educator in Atlanta public schools and was working on a graduate degree when he passed away.

“My mother’s nursing supervisor made more money than my father,” Chastain said. “This is a fantastic opportunity.”

Post 5 board member David Banks noted that for many teachers, pursuing a graduate degree has been unaffordable,

“Now there aren’t any excuses,” Banks said, adding that the program will give opportunities to people they never had.”

Ragsdale said that the costs of post-graduate education for teachers have been going up substantially, and is among the biggest obstacles to retain teachers.

He said teachers who get master’s degrees from public universities in Georgia average nearly $30,000 in debt, and that figure is around $70,000 for those obtaining doctorate degrees.

Private university debt is even higher, at nearly $80,000 for master’s programs and $135,000 for doctoral degrees, according to Ragsdale.

A few provisions of the Georgia’s BEST program would require teachers who earn graduate degrees to stay with the Cobb school district for at least three years.

Some teachers already with advanced degrees also would be hired as part-time education professors for the program.

Ragsdale said that if the pilot program is deemed a success, it could be renewed and expanded.

Cobb officials say 70 percent of educators in the district have advanced degrees, and that those with master’s degree and typically earn higher salaries.

According to the current academic year salary schedule, a Cobb teacher with five years of experience earns an estimated $6,874 more per year with a master’s degree than a teacher with a bachelor’s degree alone.

The difference rises to $8,786 per year after 10 years, and at 20 years of service, the difference is more than $10,000 per year, according to Cobb school district data.

“We are excited to partner with Cobb Schools to help educators increase their earning potential and strengthen their ability to help students succeed. We are confident that UWG’s advanced degree programs will help Cobb Schools achieve its goal of recruiting and retaining top talent while empowering Cobb educators with the knowledge and training relevant to Cobb students,” Mike Dishman, West Georgia’s college of education dean, said in a statement issued by the Cobb school district.

He told the board after the vote that the Georgia’s BEST program could be as transformational in state education “as the HOPE scholarship program.”

“We will not let you down,” Dishman said.

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