COBB COUNTY, Ga. — A new partnership with Cobb County Schools and the University of West Georgia (UWG) is working to provide teachers with the opportunity to pursue their master's or doctorate degrees – for free.
Cobb County School District Superintendent Chris Ragsdale made the announcement Thursday. The program, called "Georgia's BEST" will be limited to approximately 500 Cobb teachers per year.
The advanced degree programs with UWG consist of five semesters of learning for Cobb teachers, who can start classes as soon as June 2023. All of the degree programs are being offered online for Cobb teachers to continue to further their education while they continue to instruct students, a release stated.
“We have worked hard to recruit the very best educators in Georgia, and we need to retain that workforce. Our new Georgia’s Best program is the most significant commitment that a school district has made to support educators and ultimately benefit students," Superintendent Ragsdale said. "I am thankful to the Board for unanimously approving the costs associated with investing in our educators because in order to focus on student success, we must prioritize our team."
This is the only major Georgia school district with a partnership of this kind.
"The University of West Georgia is excited to partner with Cobb Schools to help educators increase their earning potential and – more importantly – be better prepared to teach Cobb students," UWG Dean of the College of Education Dr. Mike Dishman said. "We are confident UWG’s advanced degree programs will help recruit and retain Cobb educators while building on the district's foundation of academic excellence."