The Cobb County Board of Education voted Thursday to extend Superintendent Chris Ragsdale’s contract by an additional year.

The board’s four Republicans voted in favor of the contract extension, and its three Democrats voted against it.

Ragsdale’s contract now extends to Feb. 10, 2025.

“I appreciate the vote of confidence in the contract extension greatly,” Ragsdale said Thursday. “Cobb is the best place to teach, lead and learn.”

The contract extension was not on the agenda for the board’s February meeting.

Ragsdale has served as superintendent since 2015. His annual compensation includes a $350,000 base salary, 25 vacation days, a 12% employer contribution to a retirement fund and other benefits.

The board last voted in 2021 to extend Ragsdale’s contract to 2024. The vote was also divided along party lines at that time.

In November, the board amended the contract to give Ragsdale more power in dealing with his employers. Those changes — which weren’t made public until about a month later — are unusual among metro Atlanta superintendent contracts.

About the Author

Keep Reading

HBCUs nationally will get $438 million, according to the UNCF, previously known as the United Negro College Fund. Georgia has 10 historically Black colleges and universities. (Daniel Varnado for the AJC)

Credit: Daniel Varnado/For the Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Featured

Fulton DA Fani Willis (center) with Nathan J. Wade (right), the special prosecutor she hired to manage the Trump case and had a romantic relationship with, at a news conference announcing charges against President-elect Donald Trump and others in Atlanta, Aug. 14, 2023. Georgia’s Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 16, 2025, upheld an appeals court's decision to disqualify Willis from the election interference case against Trump and his allies. (Kenny Holston/New York Times)

Credit: NYT