MCS Board of Education named Georgia’s top school board by GSBA

Selected as 2025 Governance Team of the Year from 180 districts statewide

MARIETTA, GA — The Georgia School Boards Association (GSBA) has named the Marietta City Schools Board of Education the 2025 Governance Team of the Year. This distinction recognizes one Georgia school board out of the state’s 180 school districts as the Georgia School Board of the Year.

This honor is awarded annually to a single governance team in Georgia that demonstrates the highest standards of school system leadership — grounded in strategic decision-making, community trust, and a clear focus on student outcomes.

“As a Board, we lead with students at the center of every decision,” said Marietta City Schools Board Chair Jeff DeJarnett. “This recognition reflects the work happening every day across our district — strong leadership, great teachers, and students who are achieving at levels we’re incredibly proud of. We are honored by this award, and even more excited about the work ahead.”

Over the past two years, the Marietta City Schools governance team has taken bold, student-centered action — expanding structured literacy practices across all grades, strengthening supports for students with the greatest needs, modernizing school safety, and building a districtwide approach to family engagement grounded in transparency and access.

Key elements highlighted by GSBA include:

• A unified literacy strategy supported by more than $7 million in Board-approved investments, including 37 reading specialists and districtwide Science of Reading facilitators.
• A proactive approach to student and school safety, including weapons detection systems, AI-integrated cameras, and the middle grades cellphone initiative.
• A transparent and accountable budget process with clear alignment between spending decisions and strategic priorities.
• Consistent family engagement, including bilingual communication, flexible meeting times, Parent University, and expanded partnerships such as Communities In Schools.
• A governance structure that emphasizes shared focus and continual learning, including monthly Board–Superintendent mini-retreats dedicated to data, outcomes, and long-term planning.

“This recognition affirms the intentional work happening across our schools,” said Vice Chair Jaillene Hunter, who also serves on the Georgia Council on Literacy. “As a governance team, we remain committed to elevating literacy, strengthening school safety, and ensuring students and families have the supports they need to thrive. I am grateful for this Board, our teachers, and our community partners who believe in the promise of every child. This award reflects that shared commitment.”

As the only governance team selected statewide, this recognition reflects the Board’s sustained focus and unified leadership. GSBA’s Governance Team of the Year recognition honors districts that demonstrate exceptional Board–Superintendent collaboration, strategic leadership, fiscal accountability, and meaningful stakeholder engagement. Marietta City Schools was selected after an extensive written application, documentation review, and interview process.

As the 2025 Governance Team of the Year, Marietta will share its practices with school boards across Georgia, including its structured governance model, its literacy-centered strategic plan, and its work to build community trust around high-stakes decisions.