Dr. Adrienne Simmons

I spent most of my childhood in Waukegan, Illinois, a diverse suburban community north of Chicago.  My father served as a naval officer and my mother worked as a budget analyst after spending several years at home raising me and my sisters.  Both of my parents instilled the importance of education into me. After graduating from college, I joined Teach for America and began my first year as an educator in the state of Georgia. Since then, I have earned a master’s degree in reading, language, and literacy from Georgia State University and a doctoral degree in educational leadership from Clark Atlanta University. 

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For the past 20 years I have served in public education as a classroom teacher, instructional coach, literacy coordinator, and statewide administrator. I know firsthand many of the challenges students, families, educators, and communities face in trying to ensure all youth meet their full potential. My track record demonstrates commitment to working alongside various groups of stakeholders to leverage student success.

While employed at the Georgia Department of Education for the last 5 years, I have been equity-focused in leading teams to produce instructional materials that are culturally relevant as well as void of bias and sensitivity issues. My work has facilitated noteworthy increases in student achievement. In 2021, students in Georgia outperformed their counterparts on the SAT® for the fourth year in a row, scoring thirty-nine points higher than the national average. Likewise, graduation rates have continued to rise. I know that we can continue to make progress as a system of world-class schools in Gwinnett.

My husband, Jamar Simmons, and I have been married for thirteen years. We moved to Gwinnett County in 2012 to become part of a collective that values diversity, camaraderie, and high-quality education. We currently have two children that attend Gwinnett County Public Schools where I am in my second year serving as a member of the school council.