The Gwinnett School of Mathematics, Science, and Technology began in 2007 as a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) charter school. Gwinnett County Public Schools sought to create a new high school with a rigorous, authentic STEM-focused curriculum. The district conducted national research of existing secondary school programs, reviewing curriculum, visiting campuses, and meeting with school leaders. In March of 2006, the Gwinnett County Board of Education approved a charter that allowed for the flexibility in curriculum design and scheduling needed to realize the vision for the school.

GSMST opened the 2007 – 2008 school year in borrowed space on the campus of Duluth High School. Operating independently with its own faculty and administration, GSMST renovated and updated a handful of classrooms and offices to support the vision of a 21st Century learning environment. Meanwhile, work began on a new state-of-the-art facility on the site of the old Benefield Elementary School in Lawrenceville, at the geographic center of Gwinnett County. The new building opened in the fall of 2010, hosting GSMST’s first graduating class.