Athens Reporter

In February, Superintendent Chris Ragsdale announced a historic partnership with the University of West Georgia (UWG) to provide Cobb educators an opportunity to pursue advanced degrees at the leading college of education in Georgia with no tuition cost. 

Georgia’s BEST, a program designed to empower educators while strengthening recruitment and retention, is currently available to approximately 500 Cobb educators annually. The first 200 students will begin in June 2023, with an additional 300 students beginning in August 2023. The program, which stands for “Building Educator Success Together,” is made financially possible through the commitment of the University, the Cobb Board, and both President Kelly and Superintendent Ragsdale. 

The application portal for Georgia’s BEST is now open.

Cobb Schools certified staff interested in participating this summer will need to submit their application through the CCSD Georgia’s BEST Program portal by 5:00 pm on March 31st. Applicants will be selected, with a particular focus on high-need content areas. 

Those applicants selected for the Summer 2023 cohort will receive notification via email and a request from the University of West Georgia by April 13th with additional instructions on how to continue the application process.

 Additional details, including admission qualifications and application process, are available on the Cobb Schools page dedicated to Georgia’s BEST—the most significant commitment a school district has made to support educators and ultimately benefit students. 

About 4,000 educators have already expressed interest in Georgia’s BEST. Cobb’s innovative partnership with UWG has gathered attention around the state, including the Georgia Senate, which recently passed a resolution to commend the program that could serve as a recruitment and retention model across the state and country.

 Cobb Schools has been ranked as one of the top places to work in Georgia four years in a row, and Georgia’s BEST may make Cobb’s reputation as the best place to teach, lead, and learn spread even further. About 1,500 potential team members attended the District’s most recent job fair at Truist Park, with some traveling from as far away as Texas and California. To learn how to join the Cobb Schools team, visit here.

Original source can be found here.