A new presentation at last week's Cobb County School Board meeting reignited an ongoing debate about how apartment development is impacting local schools — and Superintendent Chris Ragsdale didn’t hold back.
During the district’s annual demographics study, Ragsdale criticized local zoning boards — including the Cobb County Board of Commissioners and the city of Powder Springs — for ignoring repeated warnings about how high-density housing projects (especially apartments) are straining school capacity.
“This is seemingly status quo now. There is absolutely no attention paid when we have a representative at the zoning meetings,” Ragsdale said.
📈 What’s the Issue?
According to education consultant James Wilson, who presented the report:
- Cobb County has issued more multifamily permits since 2006 than any other metro Atlanta county.
- Schools like McEachern High, which previously had no apartments in their zone, are now facing new challenges due to incoming developments.
- New apartment complexes can bring rapid enrollment increases, and students don’t typically arrive until 3–5 years after construction starts.
The concern isn’t just the number of students — it’s the mobility and unpredictability associated with apartment-based populations that make long-term planning difficult for the district.
🏗️ No Land Left for New Schools?
Ragsdale highlighted a major obstacle: there’s no more available land in key areas like East Cobb to build new schools. That leaves only two unpopular options:
- Massive-sized schools
- Double sessions (two separate school shifts per day)
Meanwhile, current SPLOST funding may help with renovations and additions, but won’t fully solve the issue if growth continues at the current pace.
👥 Is Anyone Listening?
Despite sending representatives to zoning meetings and providing updated capacity data (often more accurate than the state’s, according to the superintendent), Ragsdale said their concerns are consistently overlooked.
“I’m afraid people have either poked their head in the sand, or just really don’t care. And I’m afraid it’s the latter,” he warned.
💬 What Do You Think?
- Should cities and the county slow down apartment approvals until schools can catch up?
- Is this fear overblown — or are we headed toward overcrowded, under-resourced schools?
- How can we balance the need for affordable housing with school infrastructure?
Let’s open the floor: What’s your take — is apartment growth threatening our schools, or is this just part of modern development we need to adapt to?
📰 Source: Marietta Daily Journal – Cobb Superintendent Sounds Alarm Over Apartment Growth Impact on Schools
