12 schools open enrollment to families who live outside of Cobb County
Cobb County opens school seats to outside families
Cobb County School District opened applications for Choose Cobb, a tuition-based program charging non-district families $600 per semester to fill open seats across 12 designated schools ahead of the January term.
COBB COUNTY, Ga. - Families living outside Cobb County can now register their children for 12 public schools through a tuition-based program.
Cobb County Schools open non-resident seats
What we know:
Cobb County Schools launched its new "Choose Cobb" initiative, allowing non-resident families to apply for admission across 12 district campuses. The school district operates 112 campuses, but administrators selected only facilities that currently have dozens or more open classroom spots.
District leaders confirmed they are already fielding calls and emails across every grade level from outside families on the first day of submissions. Parents must pay a $600 tuition fee for each student every semester. This would also allow campuses to collect state revenue without adding extra expenses.
"We believe that Cobb offers the best product, and we want to expand that opportunity to families who do not live inside our district boundaries," said April Sandifer with Cobb County Schools.
Classrooms with available desks
Participating campuses span all grade levels and include four elementary, four middle, and four high schools. The elementary sites include Pickett's Mill, Vaughan, Clarkdale, and Kennesaw. Middle school locations include Durham, Lost Mountain, Cooper, and Palmer. The four high school locations include Kell, South Cobb, Harrison, and Allatoona.
"We are only using the open seats in existing classrooms, with existing teachers, and existing programs," Sandifer said. "These are additional revenue dollars we wouldn't otherwise receive, and it isn't costing us anything in expenses."
Parent interest and future access
What they're saying:
School leaders explained that the program provides parents with another viable educational pathway for their children.
"We are excited to expand the opportunity," Sandifer said.
Application window for upcoming term
What's next:
The application window for the next semester starting in January remains open through the end of November. Families seeking details can review guidelines and submission forms through the Cobb County Schools website.
You can find more information on the district's website here.
Program limits and district caps
What we don't know:
District leaders have not stated the exact total number of transfer openings available at each individual campus.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Cobb County Schools official April Sandifer, who explained enrollment requirements and program details, as well as reporting from Denise Dillon live in Cobb County.