Cobb students go back to school: 2025-26 year begins

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Cobb school bus safety

The Cobb County School District’s 2025-26 academic year begins on Monday, serving more than 105,000 students across the county.

Teachers returned to their classes for final preparations, and school buses were making their practice runs in the last week as Georgia’s second-largest school district revs back into action after a two-month summer break.

There will be more traffic on the roads in the early morning rush hour and after mid-afternoon school release times.

Cobb DOT posted a social media message this week reminding motorists about new state laws pertaining to penalties for illegally passing stopped school buses.

A law went into effect July 1 making such an offense an aggravated misdemeanor, with offenders facing a $1,000 fine, up to 12 months in jail or both.

“If the violation is recorded by cameras mounted on school buses, it results in a civil fine starting at $1,000,” according to the Cobb DOT.

School bus traffic and student pedestrian safety issues to keep in mind:
  • Yellow flashing lights mean the school bus is slowing down and about to stop.
  • Red flashing lights and the extended stop arm mean children are boarding or exiting the bus. Motorists must come to a complete stop a safe distance from the bus. They must wait until the red lights stop flashing, the stop arm is retracted, and the bus starts moving again.
  • Children along the road might dart into traffic without looking. Motorists are responsible for driving slowly, yielding to crossing children and coming to a complete stop to protect children on the road.
  • Please drive slowly in your neighborhoods as school buses conduct pick-ups and drop-offs in subdivisions too.
  • Remember to use your headlights if it is dark outside to ensure visibility of pedestrians.

The Cobb school district’s transportation page includes links to finding bus routes, using its bus mobile app and following bus safety tips.

The distict’s Cobb Shield page includes school safety information, including links on the alert tip line, emergency management procedures and the district’ police officers.

Parents, teachers and students actively communicate via the district’s CTLS online portal about academic progress, student outcomes, assessments and learning resources.

Here’s more district information on student meals at school and health care services.

The school district calendar includes a number of breaks and digital learning days, as well as early-release days.

For other general information, including the student code of conduct guide, click here.

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