Wednesday, May 15, 2013
"You're going to destroy the county if you don't fix the problem," educators told school board members Wednesday.
Only a small handful of people turned out for a public hearing on the proposed Cobb County School District fiscal year 2014 budget Tuesday. But they packed a raw, emotional punch. Several teachers and coaches at East Cobb's Walton High School were especially vocal about budget proposals that they said would increase morale problems and stress levels that have been building up for several years. Among the proposals included in a tentatively adopted budget (see green column in attached PDF) include 182 teacher position cuts through attrition, a mid-year cost-of-living increase, higher insurance costs for teachers, larger classroom sizes and five furlough days. Those components are part of a budget plan that addresses an estimated deficit of…
Thursday, April 18, 2013
But school board members remain divided over how to balance the numbers for fiscal year 2014.
Cobb County School District officials presented a fresh set of options for balancing the fiscal year 2014 budget on Wednesday, but school board members rehashed familiar arguments for addressing a projected deficit of $86.4 million. In a lengthy work session on Wednesday, chief financial officer Brad Johnson offered a new proposal that gets to an $838 million balance by ditching several suggested cuts board members didn't like. Reductions in magnet school transportation and outsourcing custodial services have been placed below "a line" of 18 specific revenue and expense items that achieve a balance. But that didn't satisfy some board members worried over increased class sizes, steep teaching reductions through attrition and other cuts they…
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Wednesday's work session will include an update on ways to close a deficit of nearly $86.4 million.
- SCHOOLS
-
Wednesday, April 17
Some Cobb Board of Education members aren't happy with proposed cuts to the projected fiscal year 2014 budget deficit of $86.4 million, and they've asked for other recommendations as they continue their deliberations. The budget update is on the agenda of Wednesday's school board work session, which begins at 8:30 a.m. in the board room at the Cobb County School District central office, 514 Glover St., Marietta. The meeting also will be streamed live on the CCSD website. At an April 3 meeting, board members David Banks and Kathleen Angelucci were especially vocal about some of the proposed cuts that they believe would affect the quality of classroom instruction. They also were at odds with Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and Chief …
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
The Board of Education is trying to a close a projected $86.4-million deficit.
- GOVERNMENT
-
Wednesday, April 10
As the Cobb County Board of Education tries to solve a projected $86.4-million deficit, the district has created a special section on its website to help the public understand the fiscal year 2014 budget. The website includes a video, which you can view above. The video can also be found at www.cobbk12.org/budget/
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Details of suggested cuts to close an $86.4 million budget deficit weren't received well at a work session Wednesday.
Getting used to what's being called "the new normal" isn't going to be easy for the Cobb Board of Education. After absorbing more details of a proposed fiscal year 2014 budget that recommends deep cuts in several key areas, school board members on Wednesday demanded more options as they try to solve a projected $86.4 million deficit. That's because many of the suggestions provided by Cobb County School District officials were hardly to their liking. During a long and at times heated work session, school board members told Superintendent Michael Hinojosa and the district's chief financial officer, Brad Johnson, that they weren't happy with a 13-point list of proposed cuts and changes to achieve a balanced budget. "This board needs to be …
Friday, March 1, 2013
The Cobb school superintendent's contract was due to expire on June 30.
With no discussion, the Cobb Board of Education voted Thursday night to extend the contract of Superintendent Michael Hinojosa through the end of calendar year 2014. By a 5-2 vote, the board approved an extension -- which is not a renewal -- for Hinojosa, whose initial two-year contract was to have ended on June 30 of this year. Board member Kathleen Angelucci tried inserting an amendment to delay the decision pending the results of surveys from staff, teachers and parents, but her motion gained the support of only one other colleague, David Banks. They voted against the extension, with board chairman Randy Scamihorn, vice chairman Brad Wheeler and members Scott Sweeney, David Morgan and Tim Stultz voting in favor. "I'm excited about it," …
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
The school board also is expected to vote on a contract extension for Superintendent Michael Hinojosa Thursday.
- SCHOOLS
-
Wednesday, February 27
The extension of an existing contract to install "buzz-in" security systems at elementary schools is on the Cobb Board of Education agenda Thursday. The board will hold its monthly business meeting at 7 p.m. at the Cobb County School District central office, 514 Glover Street, Marietta. A public comment session will be held at the start of the meeting. Earlier this month the board heard at its work session about the proposed $900,000 extension with Kratos Defense and Security, a sole source provider. The money would come from surplus SPLOST III funds and the contract period begin on April 1 and conclude on March 31, 2014. Similar security installation work began in the Cobb school system during the SPLOST II period. Thursday's meeting will…
Thursday, February 14, 2013
The process begins in earnest in March, with mid-May approval expected.
The Cobb County School District's reputation for holding the line on administrative costs is being touted as the Cobb Board of Education prepares to dig into the fiscal year 2014 budget process. Brad Johnson, the district's chief financial officer, reminded board members during a work session on Wednesday that Cobb's full-time equivalency (per student) expenditure of $7,553 per year is the lowest of any major school system in the metro Atlanta area. Cobb's FTE general admistration cost of $83 -- compared to $1,342 in Atlanta Public Schools -- also is lower than DeKalb, Fulton and Gwinnett. "These are really good numbers that we really need to advertise," Johnson said in his budget briefing, which also included a specific schedule for the …
Thursday, January 24, 2013
The appointment of a chief academic officer is scheduled to be taken up at Thursday night's meeting.
- SCHOOLS
-
Thursday, January 24
The Cobb Board of Education will hold its monthly business meeting tonight at 7 in the board room of the Cobb County School District Central Office, located at 514 Glover St. in Marietta. A public comment period will take place at the start of the meeting. The board also is holding an executive session at 6 p.m. to discuss legal and personnel matters. Among the agenda items for the business meeting are the appointment of a chief academic officer. The school board named Amy Krause in an acting position upon the retirement of Judi Jones in November. Also before the board are several items pertaining to construction contracts at various schools, including the following: The board also will recognize Pope High School's state championship …
Thursday, January 17, 2013
The Board of Education heard early forecasts for projected fiscal year 2014 numbers Wednesday.
The early budget forecast for the Cobb County School District for fiscal year 2014 was as gloomy as the weather Wednesday during a Cobb Board of Education work session. Cobb schools chief financial officer Brad Johnson told board members that his preliminary indications are for a $79.5 million deficit for the fiscal year that begins on July 1. While the figure is preliminary—state funding from the Georgia legislature and the 2013 Cobb tax digest are yet to be determined—the long-term projections are even more grim, reaching an estimated $105 million deficit for fiscal year 2017. After struggling to close a $62.4 million gap for the current fiscal year last May, the school board faces a more daunting challenge, and not just in terms of …
stephen m george jr mpa
7:51 pm on Friday, May 17, 2013
First, I was answering the call while you and yours were playing Call of Duty. Second, the problem with the children is everyone wants to be their kid's best friend ...as a father I by definition will NEVER be my child's friend ...I'm her father, she has the rest of her life to make friends. Third, I merely answered Amy's implied challenge ...And I quote: ". I would love to see you be a teacher … more ›