In this episode of The Inside Scoop, David Owen interviews Cobb Schools' Chief Financial Officer Brad Johnson about the many facets of funding student success while maintaining fiscal responsibility. Brad shares his long history with the district, emphasizing his commitment to making Cobb an excellent place to learn and work. He also discusses the scope of the Financial Department, including payroll for 19,000 employees, local school accounting, inventory management, and cash flow investments.

Cobb's budget cycle spans October to May and involves meticulous planning, public hearings, and final approval by the school board. The current $1.6 billion budget comprises income from various sources, and the district emphasizes transparency by allowing public access to detailed calculations. Brad highlights that most of the budget—over 94%—goes toward salaries and benefits while keeping administrative costs impressively low.

Cobb Schools' financial excellence is recognized nationally, with accolades from major financial organizations such as the Association of School Business Officials and the Government Finance Officers Association. Remarkably, the district is the only U.S. entity with triple-A credit ratings from Moody’s, Standard & Poor’s, and Kroll. These ratings signify fiscal prudence and the district’s ability to manage taxpayer funds with utmost integrity. This exceptional standing benefits the District by reducing costs and enabling investments directly in the classrooms for more than 106,000 students.

Brad further points out the importance of Ed-SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) funds, instead of bonds, for funding large-scale construction projects. This approach has saved millions in interest costs and allowed for direct reinvestment into schools. Cobb's conservative budgeting practices and transparent operations foster trust with taxpayers while positively impacting students and educators and supporting the local economy.