USC Rossier alumnus Darin Brawley EdD ’17, superintendent of Compton Unified School District (CUSD), has been named a 2026 recipient of the Harold W. McGraw, Jr. Prize in Education in the Pre-K–12 category. The prize, announced by the McGraw Center for Education Leadership at the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education, is one of the field’s most prestigious honors, given to leaders whose vision and perseverance have helped education meet society’s most pressing challenges.
Brawley shares this year’s honor with Shai Reshef, founder of University of the People, and Michael Webber of the University of Texas at Austin, recognized in the higher education and lifelong learning categories, respectively.
Since becoming superintendent of Compton Unified in 2012, Brawley has overseen a dramatic rise in student outcomes, with graduation rates increasing from 58 percent to 94 percent and college acceptance rates surpassing 95 percent in a high-poverty district serving predominantly Black and Latino students. Under his leadership, the district has strengthened instruction, expanded college and career pathways and forged industry and community partnerships connecting students to opportunities beyond the classroom, establishing CUSD as a national model for educational transformation.
While leading this turnaround, Brawley earned his Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from USC Rossier in 2017. He currently serves on the USC Rossier Board of Councilors.
“Darin Brawley’s work at Compton Unified is proof of what’s possible when a leader commits to a school district for the long haul,” said USC Rossier Dean Pedro Noguera. “This recognition from the McGraw Prize is richly deserved and reflects the kind of leadership our field needs more of.”
Each 2026 winner will be honored at a ceremony on November 10, 2026, in New York City.
