Gwinnett School District wins Broad Prize again

Gwinnett County Public Schools won the prestigious Broad Prize for top urban districts, sharing the honor with Orange County Schools in Florida, reported a Sept. 22 article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Gwinnett Schools, recognized for "steady, sustainable gains," is led by Superintendent and COE alumnus J. Alvin Wilbanks (BSED, '64 MED '68).

For the first time in its 13-year history, the Broad Prize for Urban Education has been awarded to two school districts: Gwinnett County Public Schools and Orange County Public Schools in Florida, the Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced today. As co-winners of the 2014 award, the two districts will split the $1 million prize and each will receive $500,000 in college scholarships for their high school seniors.

Wilbanks earned a bachelor's degree in industrial arts education and a master's in trade and industrial education from the UGA College of Education.He also has an education specialist degree from Georgia State University. He has served as superintendent of Gwinnett County Public Schools since 1996.