2010 Broad Prize Awarded to Gwinnett County Public Schools

District Wins $1 Million in Scholarships

On October 19, 2010, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced that Gwinnett County Public Schools won the 2010 Broad Prize, honoring large urban school districts that demonstrate the strongest student achievement and improvement while narrowing achievement gaps between income and ethnic groups. The money goes directly to graduating high school seniors for college scholarships.

As the winner of the largest education award in the country, Gwinnett County Public Schools will receive $1 million in college scholarships for its high school students.

U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan joined philanthropist Eli Broad at the Museum of Modern Art in New York City to announce the winner, which was selected by a bipartisan jury of eight prominent leaders from government, education, business and public service, including three former U.S. secretaries of education.

"Gwinnett County has demonstrated that an unwavering focus across a school system – by every member of the district and the community – can lead to steady student improvement and achievement," said Secretary Arne Duncan. "Districts across the country should look to Gwinnett County as an example of what is possible when adults put their interests aside and focus on students."

More than half of Gwinnett's students are African-American or Hispanic, and half are eligible for subsidized lunches.

"Gwinnett County's stable leadership and singular commitment to ensuring every student has the skills and knowledge to be successful in college and in life makes it a model for other districts around the country," said Eli Broad, founder of The Broad Foundation.

Each year, 100 of the largest school districts in America that serve significant percentages of low-income and minority students are automatically eleigible for The Broad Prize. Districts cannot apply for or be nominated for this award.

Gwinnett County was selected as a finalist this past spring by a review board of 18 prominent education researchers, policy leaders, practitioners and executives from leading universities, national education associations, think-tanks and foundations that evaluated publicly available student performance data.

Because Gwinnett County won this year's Broad Prize, its high school seniors who graduate in 2011 will be eligible for $1 million in college scholarships. Broad Prize scholarships are awarded to students who demonstrate significant financial need and show a record of academic improvement during their high school career. Scholarship recipients who enroll in four-year colleges will receive up to $20,000 paid out over four years ($5,000 per year). Broad Prize scholars who enroll in two-year colleges will receive up to $5,000 scholarships paid out over two years ($2,500 per year).