Gwinnett County Public Schools earns recognition for innovative retirement program

     Gwinnett County Public Schools (GCPS) has been named a 2026 PLANSPONSOR Plan Sponsor of the Year Award winner. The annual awards program recognizes organizations that demonstrate an outstanding commitment to employees' financial well-being and retirement success.

     GCPS was honored for its innovative approach to retirement education and planning through its Projected Retirement Estimator for Planning (PREP) program. PREP provides employees with a personalized and easy-to-understand view of their retirement benefits in one place. The tool combines information from state and county pension plans, as well as 403(b) and 457(b) retirement savings plans, helping employees see the bigger picture when planning for retirement. It also delivers personalized projections based on factors such as salary, savings, investment growth, and potential retirement timing, helping employees translate complexity into actionable insight.  

     “The PREP program brings all of our employees’ retirement benefits into one clear view,” says GCPS Director of Retirement David Harris. “We’re able to deliver clarity that helps GCPS employees make informed decisions and take meaningful steps toward their financial future. It reflects our commitment to supporting our employees as strongly as we support our students.”

     More than 8,900 GCPS employees have benefited from PREP since its launch in 2021. During the 2025-26 school year, the GCPS Retirement Department visited 95 schools and district sites and conducted more than 3,200 one-on-one meetings with employees.

     “My goal is to visit every school, and the Administrative Assistants have been a valuable resource toward accomplishing my goal,” Harris shares. “We have less than 10 schools left to visit.  Many schools have requested multiple visits due to PREP’s popularity among staff.” 

For more information, visit PLANSPONSOR.