COE In the News
The Office of Communications helps facilitate media interviews and provides timely information about the College of Education. Our faculty have a wide range of expertise in education and health and can provide context and insight on newsworthy happenings.
Archived Media Mentions
Recent Media Mentions
- Free school starting at age 3? Why Spring ISD wants to get more toddlers in the classroom
Houston Landing
Xin Li, an assistant professor of early childhood education, discusses the benefits of high-quality prekindergarten classes for 3-year-old children.
Nathan Grant Smith, associate dean for research and professor in the counseling psychology program, addresses the concerns that anti-LGBTQ legislation has sparked among trans and queer individuals in the U.S.
- Houston ISD bond failure displays disconnect between state-appointed leadership and community
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical associate professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, comments on Superintendent Mike Miles’ response to the bond referendum.
- HISD’s $4.4B bond would spend about $445M on schools with large projected enrollment declines
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical associate professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, and Virginia Snodgrass Rangel, an associate professor of educational leadership, provide their perspectives on whether the district should allocate funds from the proposed bond to enhance under-enrolled schools.
- Cy-Fair ISD’s focus on libraries followed flood of book challenges by two trustees’ inner circles
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical associate professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, provides context on recent debates over library books and instructional materials.
Bulent Dogan, a clinical associate professor or learning , design and technology, discusses the benefits and potential for bringing AI into the classrooms.
- Should Texas elementary students learn biblical stories in schools?
Austin American Stateman (subscription required)
Sam Brower, chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and clinical professor of social studies education, explains how the tenets of world religions may be taught in schools.
- 'There is no choice': Houston ISD teacher absences dropped in first year of HISD takeover
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
Toni Templeton, a senior research scientist at the UH Education Research Center, discusses the impact of teacher absenteeism and turnover on student outcomes.
- About 9,000 students have left HISD after a tumultuous first year under state control
Houston Chronicle
Virginia Snodgrass Rangel, an associate professor of educational leadership, discusses how reform and culture changes in Houston ISD may have led to an enrollment decline.
- Houston ISD enrollment down nearly 10 percent for 2024-25 school year, district data shows
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, notes that HISD’s enrollment decline will affect funding, but enrollment may grow in coming months.
- Teacher shortage at Houston schools (July 23, 2024)
Houston Public Media/Houston Matters (starts around minute 21:38)
Dean Cathy Horn, who leads the UH Education Research Center, discusses the teacher shortage challenge in Texas and how parents, teachers, policymakers and district leaders should be concerned.
- Our America: Hidden Stories with Ava DuVernay
KTRK – ABC13 (starts around minute 6:01)
Margaret Hale, a clinical professor of literacy education, discusses the history of book banning and makes recommendations for the current situation in the U.S.
- Houston ISD’s state-appointed board, with 5-4 vote, approves $2.1 billion budget for 2024-25
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, commented on the district’s New Education System reform program.
- Records reveal Fort Bend ISD board member is the only person pushing for library books to be removed
KTRK – ABC13
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, discusses book challenges and factors that may have led to the recent focus on libraries.
- How did Pearland ISD end up with a budget surplus while other school districts are facing deficits?
KTRK – ABC13
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, shares insights on the state and federal financial challenges facing Texas districts.
- Here's how to give your feedback on Texas Education Agency's proposed curriculum for public school
KTRK – ABC13
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, comments on the new proposed state curriculum and how the issue is not new to Texas.
- HISD community demands Mike Miles' resignation over report on charter school financials
Houston Chronicle
Toni Templeton, a senior research scientist at the UH Education Research Center, discusses state law and typical spending practices of charter schools.
- Layoffs at HISD (May 13, 2024)
Houston Public Media/Houston Matters
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, discusses the job cuts in Houston ISD, the proposal to remove content from books at Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and Katy ISD’s proposal to track students’ immigration status (starts around minute 1:49).
- Cy-Fair ISD trustees vote to omit textbook chapters about topics such as climate change and vaccines
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, urged transparency in school board textbook decisions.
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, comments that focusing on students’ immigration status is a “distraction” from educational priorities.
- HISD will overhaul how students get into the hardest high school classes
Houston Chronicle
Virginia Snodgrass Rangel, an associate professor of educational leadership, shares that HISD’s plan to enroll more students into advanced courses can be a positive if implemented well.
- Three revelations from The Takeover, an upcoming podcast about power, public education and Houston ISD
Houston Public Media
Dean Cathy Horn, who leads the UH Education Research Center, discusses the importance of district leaders reflecting on teacher turnover data.
Carrie Cutler, a clinical associate professor in the mathematics education program, discusses how children benefit from scheduling downtime during the summer.
- Two Katy ISD trustees who voted against transgender policy face opponents in re-election campaign
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, discusses the politicization of school board races and how it started.
- Behind the scenes of Houston ISD teacher evaluation rollout: TEA called classroom observation approach ‘odd,’ liaison said training sessions ‘much larger than is recommended’
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, discusses Houston ISD’s rollout of teacher performance evaluations.
- Houston ISD grapples with community backlash, educator confusion over new performance evaluation systems
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, discusses the challenges of implementing reforms quickly.
- HISD's student enrollment keeps dropping. Here's what parents should know
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
Virginia Snodgrass Rangel, an associate professor of educational leadership, discusses the challenges of recruiting families back from charter schools.
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership, notes that enrollment declines can generate difficult decisions about school closures.
- My child has an uncertified teacher in Houston ISD. Should I worry?
Houston Chronicle
Shea Culpepper, a clinical professor and director of teacher education, explains why the uncertified teacher situation is problematic and that it is not isolated to Houston ISD.
- Houston ISD has hired at least 830 uncertified teachers for 2023-24 school year
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
Sam Brower, chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and clinical professor of social studies education, shares that the teacher shortage is impacting districts’ ability to hire certified teachers.
- Houston ISD plans to add 500 pre-K seats by fall 2025 as demand grows for early childhood education
Houston Chronicle
Assistant Professor Xin Li shares that students benefit from pre-K in the short and long term.
- Houston ISD has almost 30,000 fewer students than before the pandemic. A controversial reform program could make the decline worse
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, discusses whether the current changes in Houston ISD will add to decreases in enrollment.
- Most written responses on STAAR exams will be graded by a computer with new scoring process
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former superintendent, discusses how the Texas Education Agency needs to be transparent with parents and teachers about the new scoring process.
- HISD, other Houston-area schools see widespread performance drops in new Children at Risk rankings
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
Toni Templeton, a senior research scientist at the UH Education Research Center, discusses reasons to consider when analyzing a drop in test performance.
- Almost twice as many teachers resigned from Houston ISD so far this year compared to the last two school years
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership, explained why he expected teacher resignations to remain high amid the sweeping reforms.