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Columbia County School District, Georgia, elections
| Columbia County School District |
|---|
 |
| District details |
| School board members: 5 |
| Students: 29,025 (2022-2023) |
| Schools: 30 (2022-2023) |
| Website: Link |
Columbia County School District is a school district in Georgia (Columbia County). During the 2023 school year, 29,025 students attended one of the district's 30 schools.
This page provides information regarding school board members, election rules, finances, academics, policies, and more details about the district.
Elections
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Columbia County School District school board Chair
General election
General election for Columbia County School District school board Chair
Incumbent David Dekle ran in the general election for Columbia County School District school board Chair on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| David Dekle (Nonpartisan) | ||
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 = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Columbia County School District school board District 1
General election
General election for Columbia County School District school board District 1
Philip Kent Jr. ran in the general election for Columbia County School District school board District 1 on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Philip Kent Jr. (Nonpartisan) | ||
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Columbia County School District school board District 4
General election
General election for Columbia County School District school board District 4
Incumbent Lee Ann Meyer and Katie Allen ran in the general election for Columbia County School District school board District 4 on May 21, 2024.
Candidate | ||
| Lee Ann Meyer (Nonpartisan) | ||
| Katie Allen (Nonpartisan) | ||
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| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Columbia County School District school board Chair
General election
General election for Columbia County School District school board Chair
Incumbent David Dekle won election in the general election for Columbia County School District school board Chair on May 24, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | David Dekle (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Columbia County School District school board District 1
General election
General election for Columbia County School District school board District 1
Incumbent David Alalof won election in the general election for Columbia County School District school board District 1 on May 24, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | David Alalof (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Columbia County School District school board District 4
General election
General election for Columbia County School District school board District 4
Incumbent Lee Ann Meyer won election in the general election for Columbia County School District school board District 4 on May 24, 2016.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ | Lee Ann Meyer (Nonpartisan) | |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Columbia County School District school board District 2
General election
General election for Columbia County School District school board District 2
Incumbent Kristi P. Baker won election in the general election for Columbia County School District school board District 2 on May 20, 2014.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Kristi P. Baker (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Columbia County School District school board District 3
General election
General election for Columbia County School District school board District 3
Incumbent Mike Sleeper won election in the general election for Columbia County School District school board District 3 on May 20, 2014.
Candidate | ||
| ✔ |  | Mike Sleeper (Nonpartisan) |
| ||||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Election rules
Election dates and frequency
Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections governed by default state law hold general elections on the Tuesday in the 24th week before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years. This means the general election is in the fourth week of May.
Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections according to default state law hold a general runoff election 28 days following the May general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the fourth week of June if needed.
Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold primary elections on the Tuesday in the 24th week before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years. This means the primary election is held in the fourth week of May in even-numbered years.
Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold primary runoff elections 28 days following the May primary election if no candidate for a given political party receives a majority of votes in the primary election. This means a primary runoff election is held in the fourth week of June in even-numbered years if needed.
Public school districts holding partisan school board elections governed by default state law hold general elections on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in even-numbered years.
Public school districts holding partisan elections governed by default state law hold general runoff elections 28 days following the November general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the first week of December in even-numbered years if needed.
According to its district charter enacted by the Georgia General Assembly, the Atlanta Public Schools district holds its nonpartisan school board general election on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November every two years in odd-numbered years.
The Atlanta Public Schools district holds a general runoff election 28 days following the November general election if no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general election. This means a general runoff election is held in the first week of December in odd-numbered years if needed.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-501 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150
and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Section 21-2-152
and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Section 21-2-501
and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for school districts with nonpartisan elections held according to default state law. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: March 6, 2026
- General election date: May 19, 2026
- General runoff election date: June 16, 2026
Below are the recent/upcoming dates for school districts that have opted to hold partisan elections according to default state law. There may be exceptions to these dates for specific districts because of local charters and district-specific exceptions and carve-outs.
- Filing deadline date: March 6, 2026
- Primary election date: May 19, 2026
- Primary runoff election date: June 16, 2026
- General election date: November 3, 2026
- General runoff election date: December 1, 2026
Election system
Public school districts holding nonpartisan school board elections governed by default state law elect school board members through a system of a general election and a general runoff election if needed.
Public school districts holding partisan school board elections governed by default state law elect school board members through a system of a primary election, a primary runoff election if needed, a general election, and a general runoff election if needed.
According to its district charter enacted by the Georgia General Assembly, the Atlanta Public Schools district elects school board members through a system of a general election and a general runoff election if needed.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-150 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter
Party labels on the ballot
State law allows for school boards to be elected either in partisan elections with party primaries nominating candidates or in nonpartisan elections without primaries. In partisan elections, the party affiliations of party nominees are displayed on the ballot. In nonpartisan elections, candidates are listed on the ballot without party labels. As of 2021, 109 school districts (61%) had nonpartisan elections. Georgia Statute Section Section 20-2-56 says, "the General Assembly may provide by local law for the election in nonpartisan elections of candidates to fill the offices of members of boards of education." Georgia Statue Section 21-2-139 says, "Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary, the General Assembly may provide by local Act for the election in nonpartisan elections of candidates to fill county judicial offices, offices of local boards of education, and offices of consolidated governments which are filled by the vote of the electors of said county or political subdivision."
See law:
Statute Section 20-2-56 and Section 21-2-139
Winning an election
In Georgia, for both primary and general elections, if no school board candidate receives a majority of votes, the top two candidates with the most votes advance to a runoff election. In a primary election, if a school board candidate receives a majority of votes, that candidate is elected as the party's nominee in the general election. If not candidate gets a majority of votes, a primary runoff election is held between the top two candidates with the most votes to determine the party's nominee. In a general election, if a school board candidate receives a majority of votes, that candidate is elected to office. If no candidate receives a majority of votes in the general, a general runoff election is held between the top two candidates with the most votes to determine which is elected to office.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-139 and Section 21-2-150
Term length and staggering
Georgia Statute provides that public school districts have four-year board member terms except that the General Assembly can provide for shorter or longer terms for specific districts. As of 2022, 172 districts (96%) had four-year school board terms.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52
School boards in Georgia have staggered terms by default, with as close to half of board seats as possible generally elected to four-year terms every two years. Term length and staggering can be changed through special acts. County school districts with a homestead option sales and use tax and a county sales and use tax for educational purposes must have school boards with staggered four-year terms.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52.1 and Section 20-2-52
Representation: at large vs. by sub-district
In Georgia, school board members are elected at large, by sub-district, or through a combination of the two depending on the district. County school districts with a homestead option sales and use tax and a county sales and use tax for educational purposes must elect all of their school board members from single-member districts. As of 2021, 110 districts (61%) elected all board members by single-member sub-districts, 52 districts (29%) elected board members through a combination of at large and by sub-district, and 18 districts (10%) elected board members at large.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 20-2-52.1
Filing deadlines and swearing-in dates
In Georgia, the filing deadline for school board candidates running in nonpartisan elections according to default state law is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the May general election. This means the school board candidate filing deadline for these districts is in the first half of March of even-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
In Georgia, the filing deadline for school board candidates running in partisan elections is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the May primary election. This means the school board candidate filing deadline for these districts is in the first half of March of even-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
The candidate filing deadline for Atlanta Public Schools district school board elections is 12 p.m. on the Friday following the Monday in the eleventh week before the district's November odd-year elections, which means the filing deadline is in late August of odd-numbered years. School board candidates must file notices of candidacy in the office of the school district superintendent. Georgia Statute says that the filing deadlines are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-153 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter
In Georgia, school board candidates running in nonpartisan elections according to default state law can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the May general election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in early March of even-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
In Georgia, school board candidates running in partisan elections can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the May primary election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in early March of even-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
School board candidates running for the Atlanta Public Schools district board can file notices of candidacy beginning at 9 a.m. on the Monday in the eleventh week before the November general election. This means the school board candidate filing window begins for these districts in mid-August of odd-numbered years four days before the filing deadline. Georgia Statute says that the filing period start dates are not adjusted or advanced because of legal holidays.
See law: Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-153 and Georgia Statute Section 21-2-132 and Atlanta Public Schools District Charter
About the district
School board
The Columbia County School District consists of five members serving four-year terms. To find information about school board meetings, click here.
| Name | Seat | Year assumed office | Year term ends |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katie Allen | District 4 | ||
| Kristi P. Baker | District 2 | ||
| Philip Kent | District 1 | ||
| Judy Teasley | District 3 | ||
| David Dekle | Chair | 2016 |
Join the conversation about school board politics
District map
Overlapping state house districts
The table was limited to the lower chamber because it provides the most granularity. State house districts tend to be more numerous and therefore smaller than state senate or U.S. House districts. This provides an impression of the partisan affiliations in the area.
Budget
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[1]
| SOURCE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal: | $25,447,000 | $900 | 8% |
| Local: | $157,202,000 | $5,562 | 46% |
| State: | $155,957,000 | $5,517 | 46% |
| Total: | $338,606,000 | $11,979 |
| TYPE | AMOUNT | AMOUNT PER STUDENT | PERCENT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Expenditures: | $314,081,000 | $11,111 | |
| Total Current Expenditures: | $287,305,000 | $10,164 | |
| Instructional Expenditures: | $185,126,000 | $6,549 | 59% |
| Student and Staff Support: | $26,695,000 | $944 | 8% |
| Administration: | $22,907,000 | $810 | 7% |
| Operations, Food Service, Other: | $52,577,000 | $1,860 | 17% |
| Total Capital Outlay: | $22,823,000 | $807 | |
| Construction: | $20,312,000 | $718 | |
| Total Non El-Sec Education & Other: | $0 | $0 | |
| Interest on Debt: | $3,744,000 | $132 |
Academic performance
Each year, state and local education agencies use tests and other standards to assess student proficiency. Although the data below was published by the U.S. Department of Education, proficiency measurements are established by the states. As a result, proficiency levels are not comparable between different states and year-over-year proficiency levels within a district may not be comparable because states may change their proficiency measurements. To protect student privacy, percentages are reported as ranges for groups of 300 students or fewer. If five or fewer students were included in a data set, the data will display as "PS."[2]
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 49 | 76 | 29 | 41 | 21-39 | 52 | 55 |
| 2018-2019 | 55 | 77 | 35 | 48 | 40-49 | 60 | 62 |
| 2017-2018 | 57 | 78 | 37 | 51 | 60-69 | 60 | 62 |
| 2016-2017 | 53 | 79 | 34 | 46 | 50-59 | 57 | 59 |
| 2015-2016 | 53 | 77 | 35 | 46 | 50-59 | 55 | 58 |
| 2014-2015 | 51 | 73 | 34 | 42 | 50-59 | 51 | 56 |
| 2013-2014 | 88 | 95 | 81 | 86 | >=80 | 87 | 90 |
| 2012-2013 | 92 | 98 | 87 | 90 | >=80 | 91 | 93 |
| 2011-2012 | 91 | 98 | 84 | 88 | >=90 | 88 | 92 |
| 2010-2011 | 91 | 96 | 83 | 88 | >=90 | 90 | 93 |
The following table shows the percentage of district students who scored at or above the proficiency level each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-2021 | 52 | 70 | 33 | 47 | 40-59 | 52 | 58 |
| 2018-2019 | 56 | 75 | 38 | 48 | 40-49 | 60 | 63 |
| 2017-2018 | 52 | 69 | 35 | 46 | 50-59 | 54 | 57 |
| 2016-2017 | 52 | 71 | 34 | 45 | 40-49 | 54 | 57 |
| 2015-2016 | 52 | 72 | 35 | 45 | 40-49 | 55 | 57 |
| 2014-2015 | 49 | 69 | 33 | 42 | 40-49 | 50 | 54 |
| 2013-2014 | 98 | >=99 | 96 | 96 | >=80 | 98 | 98 |
| 2012-2013 | 98 | >=99 | 96 | 97 | >=90 | 96 | 98 |
| 2011-2012 | 97 | >=99 | 96 | 96 | >=90 | 96 | 98 |
| 2010-2011 | 96 | 98 | 93 | 94 | >=90 | 95 | 97 |
The following table shows the graduation rate of district students each school year:
| School year | All (%) | Asian/Pacific Islander (%) | Black (%) | Hispanic (%) | Native American (%) | Two or More Races (%) | White (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-2020 | 92 | >=95 | 93 | 85-89 | PS | >=95 | 91 |
| 2018-2019 | 92 | >=95 | 90 | 90-94 | PS | 90-94 | 93 |
| 2017-2018 | 91 | >=95 | 89 | 90-94 | PS | 90-94 | 91 |
| 2016-2017 | 90 | >=95 | 91 | 80-84 | 85-89 | 90 | |
| 2015-2016 | 89 | >=95 | 88 | 80-84 | PS | 85-89 | 89 |
| 2014-2015 | 88 | 90-94 | 86 | 80-84 | PS | 90-94 | 88 |
| 2013-2014 | 85 | 85-89 | 82 | 85-89 | 60-69 | 86 | |
| 2012-2013 | 80 | 90-94 | 75 | 65-69 | >=50 | 80-84 | 81 |
| 2011-2012 | 74 | 80-84 | 71 | 65-69 | >=50 | 70-74 | 75 |
| 2010-2011 | 76 | 85-89 | 66 | 70-74 | >=50 | 75-79 | 78 |
Students
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[3]
| Year | Enrollment | Year-to-year change (%) |
|---|---|---|
| 2022-2023 | 29,025 | 1.2 |
| 2021-2022 | 28,683 | 1.5 |
| 2020-2021 | 28,266 | 0.1 |
| 2019-2020 | 28,248 | 1.9 |
| 2018-2019 | 27,703 | 2.1 |
| 2017-2018 | 27,117 | 0.7 |
| 2016-2017 | 26,914 | 3.0 |
| 2015-2016 | 26,118 | 2.2 |
| 2014-2015 | 25,532 | 2.4 |
| 2013-2014 | 24,907 | 1.9 |
| 2012-2013 | 24,431 | 2.6 |
| 2011-2012 | 23,792 | 0.3 |
| 2010-2011 | 23,722 | 1.7 |
| 2009-2010 | 23,328 | 2.4 |
| 2008-2009 | 22,767 | 1.3 |
| 2007-2008 | 22,464 | 1.6 |
| 2006-2007 | 22,112 | 3.1 |
| 2005-2006 | 21,419 | 4.0 |
| 2004-2005 | 20,570 | 2.5 |
| 2003-2004 | 20,063 | 3.2 |
| 2002-2003 | 19,426 | 1.4 |
| 2001-2002 | 19,149 | 2.1 |
| 2000-2001 | 18,756 | 0.2 |
| 1999-2000 | 18,722 | 0.0 |
| RACE | Columbia County School District (%) | Georgia K-12 STUDENTS (%) |
|---|---|---|
| American Indian/Alaska Native | 0.2 | 0.2 |
| Asian or Asian/Pacific Islander | 4.4 | 4.7 |
| Black | 22.4 | 36.4 |
| Hispanic | 11.6 | 18.1 |
| Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander | 0.3 | 0.1 |
| Two or More Races | 7.7 | 4.6 |
| White | 53.5 | 35.9 |
Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.
Staff
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[4]
As of the 2022-2023 school year, Columbia County School District had 1,841.30 full-time classroom teachers. The student-teacher ratio was 15.76.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF TEACHERS |
|---|---|
| Prekindergarten: | 26.50 |
| Kindergarten: | 105.40 |
| Elementary: | 727.60 |
| Secondary: | 768.90 |
| Total: | 1,841.30 |
Columbia County School District employed 21.00 district administrators and 87.40 school administrators as of the 2022-2023 school year.
| TYPE | NUMBER OF ADMINISTRATORS |
|---|---|
| District Administrators: | 21.00 |
| District Administrative Support: | 36.00 |
| School Administrators: | 87.40 |
| School Administrative Support: | 128.00 |
| TYPE | NUMBER OF OTHER STAFF |
|---|---|
| Instructional Aides: | 372.00 |
| Instruc. Coordinators & Supervisors: | 66.50 |
| Total Guidance Counselors: | 69.00 |
| Elementary Guidance Counselors: | 24.00 |
| Secondary Guidance Counselors: | 45.00 |
| Librarians/Media Specialists: | 30.00 |
| Library/Media Support: | 29.00 |
| Student Support Services: | 132.40 |
| Other Support Services: | 732.80 |
Schools
The following statistics were published by the National Center for Education Statistics, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education.[5]
About school boards
Education legislation in Georgia
Bills are monitored by BillTrack50 and sorted by action history.
See also
| School Boards | Education Policy | Local Politics | Georgia |
|---|---|---|---|
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External links
Footnotes
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC: EDFacts, "State Assessments in Reading/Language Arts and Mathematics- School Year 2018-19 EDFacts Data Documentation," accessed February 25, 2021
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
- ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "Elementary/Secondary Information System," accessed June 17, 2024
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