Cobb Opens 12 Schools to Outside Families as New Achievement Figures Give Parents More to Consider

FreddyO

November 5, 2026

Cobb County families are getting an unusual invitation: a place in selected public schools even if they do not live inside the attendance zone. The district’s announcement, made through its Choose Cobb page, lists 12 schools with capacity for students from outside their zones for the 2026-27 school year.

Cobb Opens 12 Schools to Outside Families as New Achievement Figures Give Parents More to Consider — photo by FreddyO

The page also keeps the door open for families outside the county. Cobb says out-of-county families can apply when capacity permits and pay tuition. The offer matters because school choice can feel abstract until a district identifies the buildings, application route and deadline.

The 12 schools are Birney Elementary, Bryant Elementary, Clay-Harmony Leland Elementary, Clay Pit Elementary, Clay Elementary, Pickett’s Mill Elementary, Powder Springs Elementary, Sanders Elementary, Timber Ridge Elementary, Wheeler High School, Banneker High School and Osborne High School.

Applications opened November 3 and close December 12. Eligible students must not be under an active disciplinary tribunal order and must meet any special-program requirements listed by the district. Families can find the school list, tuition details and transfer application on the Choose Cobb page.

The invitation arrives as new national research gives parents more context. The Education Recovery Scorecard reported November 4 that math and reading achievement gaps between higher- and lower-income districts are growing. The research, from Harvard CEPR and Stanford’s Educational Opportunity Project, found gaps widened by an average of 12 percent in math and 8 percent in reading since 2019.

The same rollout notes that Georgia in 2019 was the only state whose gap had narrowed. The more recent pattern is less encouraging. In reporting on the scorecard release, the Associated Press detailed the findings that achievement is now below 2019 levels in most districts. These broader findings do not tell a parent whether a particular Cobb transfer seat fits their child, but they do underline why more information about openings and performance matters.

For Cobb families, the concrete next steps are clear: review the list, compare the programs and transportation, then apply before December 12. The announcement gives parents a decision window, but the opportunity still depends on each school’s capacity and eligibility.