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Gwinnett County Public Schools

Gwinnett County Public Schools Announces Leadership Transition

Gwinnett County Public Schools Announces Leadership Transition

January 31, 2025 

The Gwinnett County Board of Education (BOE) voted 3-2 today to terminate the contract of Superintendent Dr. Calvin J. Watts, effective April 1, 2025.

BOE Chair Dr. Adrienne Simmons shared, “As a board, we are charged with establishing vision, which entails looking forward and not solely backward. We appreciate the wins that we have accomplished as a district with Dr. Watts. In light of our vision, the board has determined that new leadership is needed at the helm. Our vote represents the pursuit of sustaining the success of GCPS learners while enhancing educational outcomes, particularly for multilingual learners, students receiving special education services, and students from low-income families. I want to reassure our community that the success of the district as a whole is our priority, and we made a choice that we believe is in the best interest of each and every student. Dr. Al Taylor has our full support as interim superintendent. We look forward to engaging stakeholders in a transparent, nationwide superintendent search in the months ahead.”

The BOE will begin the search for a permanent superintendent with a focus on transparency and community engagement. Details of the search process, including opportunities for public input, will be shared in the coming months.

To ensure a seamless transition, the BOE has appointed Dr. Al Taylor, Chief of Schools, as interim superintendent, effective April 2, 2025. Dr. Taylor has served in GCPS since 2002 and has spent his entire educational career in Gwinnett. Prior to his current position, he held positions as a middle and high school teacher, a high school assistant principal, a middle and high school principal, and a middle school assistant superintendent. He also served as an adjunct professor at Piedmont University, where he taught a myriad of graduate-level courses. Dr. Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree in business education from Georgia Southern University, a master’s degree in educational leadership from Georgia State University, and a doctoral degree in Educational Policy Studies also from Georgia State University. Dr. Taylor will serve as interim superintendent through April 2, 2026, or until the board hires a permanent superintendent.