Cobb County School District Jobs and Profile

As the second largest school system in Georgia, the Cobb County School District is responsible for educating more than 106,000 students in a diverse, constantly changing suburban environment. The district meets this challenge by focusing on four key areas: improving student achievement, developing leaders, being fiscally responsible and building relationships among schools, families, businesses and the wider Cobb County community.

The district’s purpose is to ensure that all Cobb students maximize their individual learning potential. Toward that end, every school has implemented Performance Based Instruction for every student, meaning that students will know, do, use and communicate what they are learning. The result is high achievement for Cobb County students. Cobb students consistently score above the national average on norm-referenced tests. In 2008, 77 percent of Cobb seniors took the Scholastic Assessment Test (SAT), achieving a combined average score of 1523, compared to the national average of 1511, and the state average of 1466. Cobb boasts six magnet programs to challenge students and a unique Advanced Placement Certified Schools program that encourages participation in advanced course work.

Excellent educators and strong leaders are an essential element of successful schools. The Cobb County School District employs nearly 9,000 highly qualified teachers and administrators whose collective passion is teaching and motivating students. The school district is the largest employer in Cobb County with more than 15,000 employees in 120 facilities.

Effective and efficient use of taxpayer dollars is a major priority for the district. The district’s general fund operating budget totals more than $907 million for fiscal year 2008, with a per-student spending average of $8,545. The district carries no long-term debt and funds construction, renovation, technology, and safety projects through a one-penny Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax (SPLOST). Since first approved in 1998, the SPLOST has funded construction of 21 new schools, more than 2,000 new classrooms, hundreds of roofing, paving, plumbing, painting, HVAC, and other projects. In addition, SPLOST is in the process of refreshing all computer workstations throughout the county, has provided a laptop computer for every teacher, and has improved student safety through the installation of surveillance cameras, fencing, and electronic access-control systems for all elementary schools. In fall 2008, Cobb voters approved SPLOST III, which will focus on revitalizing Cobb's aging facilities.

Building relationships with the wide variety of people who are impacted by and support Cobb schools is a critical component of the district’s focus. Parental involvement is a hallmark in the District, as demonstrated through 100 percent PTA participation in most schools and the active participation of parent volunteers. Each school has its own School Council that includes the school’s principal, teachers, parents and business representatives. These councils are an integral part of the school improvement process and help bring community concerns to school leadership.

The district’s relationship with the Cobb Chamber of Commerce has yielded a variety of programs supporting students and teachers. The Partners in Education program is the longest-running support initiative, pairing local businesses with schools in need of community support. As of fall 2008, more than 1,000 local businesses have committed to partnerships with Cobb County’s 114 schools through the Partners in Education program.

The Cobb County School District has a clear mission from its Board of Education - to guarantee a quality educational program for all students in a challenging, secure environment. In every school and every classroom, the focus is on helping each student achieve and become prepared for the world ahead. That goal is supported by the district’s efforts to recognize and build leaders within its schools, responsible stewardship of fiscal resources and the relationships built through open, cooperative communication.

• Total Number of Schools – 114
• Elementary Schools – 68
• Middle Schools - 25
• High Schools - 16
• Open Campus High School - 1
• Special Education Centers - 2
• Adult Education Center - 1
• Performance Learning Center - 1

• 6,838 Classroom Teachers
• 1,531 Special Education Teachers
• 78 Area Lead Teachers
• 330 School Counselors
• 48 School Social Workers
• 47 School Psychologists
• 131 Media Specialists
• 1,538 Paraprofessionals
• 383 Principals, Assistant Principals and Administrative Assistants
• 1,153 Bus Drivers, Fleet Maint. and Other Transportation Workers
• 718 Maintenance, Custodians and Operations Workers
• 1042 Food Service Managers, Cafeteria Workers and Support Staff
• 685 School Support Staff
• 40 Safety & Security Staff, including Campus Police

• White 46.8%
• Black 29.7%
• Hispanic 14.4%
• Asian 4.5%
• Multi-Racial 4.5%
• American Indian 0.2%

• White 77.5%
• Black 18.1%
• Hispanic 2.4%
• Asian 1.2%
• Multi-Racial 0.7%
• American Indian 0.1%

It is the policy of the Cobb County School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age or disability in any employment practices, educational programs or activities.