The Cobb County Board of Education voted to extend Superintendent Chris Ragsdale’s contract to 2026. Board Member Randy Scamihorn introduced the motion to extend Ragsdale’s contract during a Board of Education Meeting last Thursday. He detailed improvements and stability in the county under Ragsdale’s leadership as the reasons for this motion.
“Mr. Ragsdale is the longest-serving Cobb district superintendent in the metropolitan area and has accomplished much in the last eight years,” said Scamihorn in the meeting. “In grade levels three through eight, Cobb students perform above the national average and generally better than similar districts. Cobb student performance generally improves as students progress through grade levels in both math and reading language arts. Over the last two school years, Cobb students performed above the national average in every grade level reading language arts, or every grade level except third-grade mathematics. A total of 12 of 17 Cobb high schools scored in the top 100 Georgia high schools, including Walton, Lasseter, Pope, Harrison, Allatoona, Hillgrove, Kennesaw Mountain, Wheeler High School, Kell McEwen High School, North Cobb High School, and Sprayberry High School. The key initiatives under superintendent Ragsdale’s leadership.”
Other board members discussed the motion, expressing their thoughts and concerns about it.
“Mr. Scamihorn, I appreciate you running down the list of accomplishments and the great things that have happened under the current under our current superintendent, and I agree,” said board member Leroy Tre’ Hutchins. ” We are in the right place at the right time to see great things for Cobb County Schools. I would like to see it translate all throughout the entire county, and so that is where I stand on that.”
“My concern tonight is with the contract itself,” said board member Becky Sayler. Coming in as a new board member and seeing the terms of that, specifically the part about if the superintendent feels embarrassed, undermine, or cast in a false light, you can create the resolution panel. So I am still unclear on what that means for my actions as a board member and what I’m allowed to do or say. And so I don’t feel comfortable with that limitation, and I’m hoping that perhaps in this next year, we can maybe address and get to a point where board members feel able to do their jobs without fear of being a financial, fiscal liability to the district.”
The motion passed by a 4-2 vote. Four board members voted in favor of extending the contract, two opposed, and one abstained.