Georgia.gov

Governor Nathan Deal
Office of the Governor

Governor Nathan Deal - Georgia’s 82nd Governor (2011-2019)

The content on this website is archived historic material and should be used for research purposes only. This website is no longer updated, and some links may not work. For inquiries please contact Governor Kemp’s office.

Home » Press Releases » Deal lauds Gwinnett schools for winning $500,000 in scholarships

Deal lauds Gwinnett schools for winning $500,000 in scholarships

September 23, 2014

Broad Prize rewards district’s low-income, minority students for reaching advanced academic levels

Gov. Nathan Deal today congratulated the Gwinnett County Public Schools, which won this year’s Broad Prize for Urban Education and will receive a $500,000 in scholarship money for high school seniors graduating in 2015. This annual award honors large urban school districts demonstrating the greatest overall improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among low-income and minority students.

“It’s imperative that our state’s students have the opportunity to achieve higher education regardless of their family’s income,” Deal said. “Winning this prize money will provide Gwinnett County schools the opportunity to reward deserving students who have worked hard but still need a helping hand to afford college. These scholarships will serve as a lifeline to a world-class education for many, and I’m grateful to the Broad Foundation for its strategic investment in our students and our state. I commend Gwinnett County teachers and administrators for their hard work to ensure that all students who enter their classrooms have the best shot at a good life.”

The selection panel evaluated school districts on student performance data compiled and analyzed by RTI International, in addition to district policy and procedures analyzed during site visits by education consulting firm RMC Research Corp. Gwinnett County Public Schools stood out in part due to the following factors:

  • Gwinnett County high school seniors had the highest SAT participation rate among the 75 Broad Prize-eligible districts, with 88 percent of all Gwinnett County seniors taking the SAT, including 90 percent of African-American seniors and 70 percent of Hispanic seniors, in 2013.
  • Gwinnett County Public Schools ranked among the top 20 percent of districts statewide in 2013 for the percentage of low-income students at all education levels performing at the highest achievement level in reading, math and science.
  • Gwinnett County Public Schools ranked among the top 10 percent of districts statewide in 2013 for the percentage of African-American students at all education levels who performed at the highest achievement level on state-mandated tests in reading, math and science.

The Broad Prize is the largest education award in the county given to school districts. In the organizations 13-year history, this is the first year that the $1 million award will be shared by two school districts – Gwinnett County Public Schools and Orange County Public schools in Florida.

Gwinnett County seniors demonstrating academic improvement and financial need and planning to enroll full time at an accredited institution of higher education may apply online for the scholarship. Students who enroll in four-year colleges will receive up to $5,000 per year for four years and students who enroll in two-year colleges will receive up to $2,500 per year for two years.

About the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation

Founded by entrepreneur Eli Broad and his wife Edythe, the foundation is a philanthropy that seeks to ensure that every student in an urban public school has the opportunity to succeed. Bringing together top education experts and practitioners, the foundation funds systemwide programs and policies that strengthen public schools by creating environments that allow good teachers to do great work and enable students of all backgrounds to learn and thrive. For more information, click here.