Cobb County School District delays 2020-2021 restart date to August 17

COBB COUNTY, Ga. — The Cobb County Board of Education voted Thursday to push back the start of the 20-21 school year until August 17.

Officials said they made the decision after a recommendation by Superintendent Chris Ragsdale and that delaying the start of the school year will give students, parents, teachers and principals more time to prepare to meet public health guidelines.

School was originally slated to restart August 3.

[RELATED: Cobb County announces plans for how students will return to school]

“We are looking forward to welcoming Cobb students back to school. We are ready to see learning taking place but the health and safety of our students and staff is always our first priority,” Ragsdale said. “I am thankful to the Board for recognizing that a brief delay to the start of school year will give our students and staff the best opportunity for a successful school year.”

Last week, the district announced it will ask parents to chose between remote or in-classroom learning for the first semester of the school year.

[RELATED: Here are the COVID-19 scenarios Georgia schools are reviewing for the fall]

Families will be notified of an updated timeline for when they need to make their decision.

“The Superintendent and District staff remain in close conversation with public health officials and remain committed to decision-making which prioritizes student and staff safety while giving families the flexibility to make choices that are best for them,” officials said.

Health expert says there should be a three-pronged approach to kids returning to school Dr. Chirag Patel talks about what schools need to do for kids to safely go back to school in the fall.

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