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
- ‘Come and take it:’ Spring Branch ISD trustees vote against making recapture payment to state
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former Spring Branch Independent School District superintendent, described the school board’s move as “symbolic” because the payments are required by law.
- UH offering new accelerated teacher program
KRIV – Fox 26 Houston (video)
Clinical Professors Amber Thompson and Shea Culpepper, who oversee the teacher education program, shared details about UH’s new Alternative Certification Program for Aspiring Teachers and their focus on providing ongoing support for the teacher candidates.
Related:
- UH offers a certification program for aspiring teachers; there is guaranteed work
Telemundo Houston (video in Spanish)
Diana Lum, a site coordinator for UH’s teacher education program, talks about the great need for teachers and how UH’s new accelerated certification program will help teachers get into classrooms more quickly.
- Are Katy ISD trustees more concerned with culture wars than student outcomes?
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former Spring Branch Independent School District superintendent, said school systems nationwide are facing ideological debates but the key is to success is to remain focused on student performance.
- New curriculum at HISD (July 28, 2023)
Houston Public Media/Houston Matters
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former Spring Branch Independent School District superintendent, discusses HISD’s new curriculum built on “the science of reading” (starts around minute 12:04).
- Exclusive: All Houston ISD teachers to be paid based on test scores by 2025-26 school year, schools will continue to lose autonomy
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former Spring Branch Independent School District superintendent, weighs in on Superintendent Mike Miles’ plan to compensate teachers.
- Mike Miles says HISD schools will teach the 'science of reading.' Here's what that means.
Houston Chronicle
Jorge Gonzalez, a professor of school psychology whose research includes literacy issues, explains the meaning of the “science of reading” and how instructional delivery matters.
- To ban or expand? Resident of The Woodlands fights for Christian children’s books in library
Houston Landing
Margaret Hale, a clinical professor of literacy education, discusses the importance of exposing children to books that reflect experiences and traditions different from their own.
- HISD Superintendent Miles says his 'systemic reform' plan will be expanded to 150 schools by 2025
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former Spring Branch Independent School District superintendent, weighs in on Houston ISD Superintendent Miles’ plan to implement his school reform efforts on a large scale.
Leslie Frankel, an associate professor in the human development and family sciences program, discusses the difficulty mothers have making breast and formula feeding decisions.
- 29 Houston schools will look different next school year — cameras in classrooms, no librarians, higher pay for teachers
Houston Public Media
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former Spring Branch Independent School District superintendent, discusses the pros and cons of state-appointed Superintendent Mike Miles’ plan to reform campuses in Houston ISD.
Research by Assistant Professor Allison Master focused on children’s gender stereotypes in STEM was highlighted in this article (Yale University study).
- ‘Brainy’ professors helping asylum-seekers in Mexico over holiday weekend
KSWB – Fox 5 San Diego
Mikel Cole, an associate professor and director of the curriculum and instruction – bilingual/ESL education program, talked about his trip along the border, where he and other professors did humanitarian work and offered education information to migrant families.
- Texas lawmakers push bill to bill to raise K-12 student success.
Austin American-Statesman (subscription required)
Sam Brower, clinical professor of social studies education, discusses proposed legislation related to curriculum and open-source materials.
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former Spring Branch Independent School District superintendent, comments on the leadership gap pending the Texas Education Agency’s takeover of the Houston Independent School District.
- Spring Branch and “The Giant Peach”: The Reaction to the Cancelled Field Trip Over Cross-Gender Casting
Houston Public Media/“Town Square with Ernie Manouse”
Allison Master, an assistant professor in the measurement, quantitative methods and learning sciences program and director of the Identity and Academic Motivation Lab, discusses how the cancelled field trip limits students’ exposure to the arts and creative thinking (starts around minute 24:15).
Research from the UH Education Research Center, led by Moores Professor and Interim Dean Cathy Horn, was featured in this report about the statewide teacher shortage.
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor of educational leadership and former Spring Branch ISD superintendent, discusses charter schools and private school vouchers.
Related:
- Latino migrants’ pandemic hardships underscore ‘urgent’ mental health needs, Rice study says
Houston Chronicle
Professor Norma Olvera, who serves as president of the Hispanic Health Coalition, discussed why Latino migrants were hit especially hard by the pandemic.
Duncan Klussmann, a clinical assistant professor of school leadership and former superintendent of Spring Branch ISD, says the appointment of a conservator to address special education in Austin ISD differs from removing the elected school board in Houston ISD.
- Spring Branch ISD school board passes new streamlined process to ban books submitted for review
KTRK – ABC13
Margaret Hale, chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and a clinical professor of literacy education, discusses the expedited book review policy in Spring Branch ISD.
- HISD must meet these three strict goals to get out of TEA control
Houston Chronicle (subscription required)
Clinical Assistant Professor Duncan Klussmann, former Spring Branch ISD superintendent, and Interim Dean Cathy Horn, director of the UH Education Research Center, reflect on the standards that Houston ISD must meet to return to local control.
- Texas Education Agency’s Announced Takeover of Houston ISD: What Does this Mean, and What Happens Next?
Houston Public Media/“Town Square with Ernie Manouse”
Interim Dean Cathy Horn, who leads the UH Education Research Center, discusses the importance of focusing on students first, supporting educators, listening to families and relying on research amid the state takeover of HISD.
Related:
- Resuming the Discussion on the Texas Education Agency’s Takeover of Houston ISD: Houston Public Media/“Town Square with Ernie Manouse”
- Everything to know about the unprecedented HISD state takeover and the school district’s future
Houston Chronicle
Interim Dean Cathy Horn, who leads the UH Education Research Center, stresses how the UH College of Education is committed to HISD’s success and the importance of assessing intended and unintended impacts of the takeover.
- Pros and cons of the redesigned STAAR exam
Houston Public Media/“Houston Matters”
Melissa Gallagher, an assistant professor and director of the mathematics education program, discusses the benefits and challenges of the state exam moving fully online (starts around minute 6:53).
- New Cy-Fair ISD library policy increases transparency
Community Impact
Margaret Hale, chair of the Department of Curriculum & Instruction, discusses what may motivate parents to challenge school books.
- Houston-area school districts offer stipends, bonuses, four-day weeks to try to retain teachers
Houston Chronicle
Interim Dean Cathy Horn, who leads the UH Education Research Center, says investing to support teaching students graduate with little to no debt is important for addressing the teacher shortage.
- Four-day school weeks (Feb. 28, 2023)
Houston Public Media/Houston Matters
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor and former superintendent of Spring Branch ISD, discusses the pros and cons of a four-day school week recently implemented in Crosby ISD (starts at minute 4:29).
- Study says kids playing video games doesn’t affect cognitive abilities
KMGH – ABC 7 Denver
Jie Zhang, an associate professor in the curriculum and instruction – bilingual education program, discusses how her research team found no meaningful links between fifth graders’ video game playing and their cognitive ability.
Related:
- Good news for kids: Video games aren't bad for you: KSL.com
Are video games good for kids' brains or bad for them? New research suggests the answer is 'neither: CTVNEWS
New study finds video games are not harmful to children’s brains - but do not help either: LondonWorld
Playing video game causes no harm to cognitive abilities: Study: The Statesman
- Souper Bowl of Caring benefits food pantries in Houston, across the U.S.
KRIV – Fox 26 Houston
Laura Lee, a student success coach in the Office of Undergraduate Studies, discusses the need for the College’s food pantry, Cougar Cupboard 2, which will benefit from the 2023 Super Bowl of Caring event.
April Peters-Hawkins, associate chair of the Department of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, suggests alternative solutions to disciplinary actions taken by Houston-area school districts for student fighting incidents.
Duncan Klussmann, clinical assistant professor and former superintendent of Spring Branch ISD, weighs in on the Texas Education Agency’s potential takeover of the Houston Independent School District.