Board Approves New Charter School to Expand Public School Choice for Families in South Cobb

Feb. 13, 2026

February 12, 2026 — At its February meeting, the Cobb County School District Board of Education approved the charter petition for Power Public Schools, expanding public school choice for families in the South Cobb community.

Power Public Schools is scheduled to open in August 2027, initially serving about 100 middle school students in grades 6 and 7, with plans to add one grade level each year over the course of its five-year charter term. The school’s academic model emphasizes AI-powered, personalized learning and early college pathways, offering an innovative approach that meets students’ individual needs.

The District looks forward to a strong partnership with Power Public Schools and remains committed to providing families with high-quality educational options that reflect the diverse needs and interests of Cobb students. Power Public Schools was one of two charter petitions submitted during the current petition cycle, following four Letters of Intent. Prior to this approval, Walton High School was the District’s only charter school, following the closure of Kennesaw Charter School in 2020.

Cobb Schools Earn Statewide Praise as Literacy and Math Leaders

Earlier this week, State School Superintendent Richard Woods stood before educators and school leaders to recognize more than 40 Cobb schools as Literacy Leaders, Math Leaders, or both. The Georgia Department of Education named 406 schools statewide as 2024-2025 Literacy Leaders and 479 Math Leaders. Schools qualified based on exceptional achievement, growth, or both on Georgia Milestones assessments.

"You have one of the highest, if not the highest, 100% passage rates when it comes to math, which speaks to how intentional you are. And for Cobb high schools, the literacy scores at your schools are a rarity, I assure you," said the State School Superintendent.

Superintendent Addresses School Disruptions

Superintendent Chris Ragsdale also addressed recent student walkouts, emphasizing that Cobb schools must remain politically neutral and focused on learning. He said the protests were not student-led, but “actions coordinated by well-funded adults with the specific intent to disrupt public schools.”

“Cobb’s schools are about education, not indoctrination for anyone’s political agenda,” said Superintendent Ragsdale during the meeting.

Ragsdale warned that encouraging unsupervised walkouts during the school day is unsafe and irresponsible, noting that such actions intentionally disrupt instruction and cause damage to school property. He said, “one of the first lessons every student learns in kindergarten is, when you are in school, you can’t just do whatever you want whenever you feel like it.”

Those early lessons reflect the shared expectations schools work to uphold every day.

“Public schools are – and must be – places for learning, not battlegrounds for ideology,” he said, reaffirming that the district will prioritize student safety, respect parental rights, and ensure classrooms remain “free of political games.”