Divided Cobb school board extends superintendent's contract

Cobb school superintendent honored

Cobb school superintendent Chris Ragsdale received a new contract extension Thursday night.

But the vote wasn’t unanimous as it has been in the past.

After an executive session and by a 4-3 party-line vote, the Cobb Board of Education approved the extension for Ragsdale, taking his contract into 2024.

A year ago, Ragsdale got a 7-0 vote to extend his contract and a salary increase to $350,000 a year.

On Thursday, the four votes in support of an extension were from the board’s Republican members—David Banks and David Chastain of East Cobb, Randy Scamihorn of North Cobb and Brad Wheeler of West Cobb.

The three Democratic members of the board—Charisse Davis of East Cobb and Smyrna, Jaha Howard of Smyrna and Tre’ Hutchins of South Cobb—voted against.

Board members didn’t discuss the extension before voting. Since they were elected two years ago, Davis and Howard have taken issue with Ragsdale on several issues, including equity matters and the district’s response to COVID-19.

In December, they opposed his recommendation to spend $12 million for special UV disinfecting lights hand sanitizers and other COVID-related safety equipment, saying that was a lot of money to spend from the district’s reserve funding for measures they said were proven.

Last month, Howard was blocked from asking Ragsdale about the district’s COVID response, which wasn’t on the board’s agenda despite the deaths of three teachers from the virus since Christmas.

Hutchins just began his tenure on the board, being elected in November to succeed three-term Democratic member David Morgan, who did not seek re-election.

Ragsdale, named Cobb superintendent in 2015 after serving as deputy superintendent and in other capacities, initially received a three-year contract, the maximum under state law. Since then he has received extensions without objections.

After the vote Thursday, Ragsdale thanked the board and said he looked forward to continue working “as one team.”

In a release issued by the district, board chairman Randy Scamihorn said that “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.”

The release cited improved test scores, improvements to teacher and staff salaries and technology initiatives to accommodate remote learning and enhance school security.