Simmons Welcomes New Dean, Stephanie L. Knight

Stephanie L. Knight, associate dean and  professor of education in the College of Education at Pennsylvania State University will become dean of the Simmons School at SMU on August 1.

Well-respected in her field, Knight joined Pennsylvania State University in 2009 as professor of educational psychology, where she taught courses in educational psychology and effective learning. In 2013 she became associate dean at Penn State, leading the College of Education’s undergraduate and graduate studies programs. Prior to that, she held a 20-year tenure at Texas A&M.  Read more.

New Book Features Work by Denisa Gándara

Denisa Gándara, assistant professor in Education Policy and Leadership, co-authored the recently released Outcomes Based Funding and Race in Higher Education Can Equity be Bought?

Published by Palgrave Macmillan, the book examines how Performance or Outcomes Based Funding (POBF) policies impact racial equity in higher education.

Through POBF, public colleges and universities receive state funding through formulas that no longer rely solely on student enrollment, but are instead based on student outcomes. The book gives policymakers a view of how racial equity has been addressed, and makes recommendations for moving forward.

Texas Tribune Conducts Q&A with Candace Walkington about Teaching Math

Candace Walkington, assistant professor in Simmons, conducts research on connecting students to algebra.

The Texas Tribune interviewed Assistant Professor Candace Walkington in Teaching and Learning about her research looking at engaging ways to teach math in grades 6-10. She notes that during these grades students find it difficult to get motivated to learn math. The Q&A, where she is highlighted, is a weekly feature for Trib+Edu. Read the complete interview here. 

Study Co-authored by Baker Says Pre-college Factors Impact College Graduation Rates for Nonwhites

Dominique Baker, assistant professor in Education Policy and Leadership, co-authored a new study in The Journal of Higher Education that looks at the gap of college graduation rates for Black and Hispanic students compared to white peers. Researchers Stella Flores (NYU), Toby Park (Florida State University) and SMU’s Baker say pre-college factors, such as attending segregated schools and poverty, contribute to as much as 61% of the variance in college graduation rates by race.

Their data analyzed a cohort of Texas students who graduated from high school in 2002. Read more.

Congratulations to 2017 Luminary Award Recipients

Paige Ware, dean ad interim, is pictured with Luminary Award recipients Mark Meadows, The Meadows Foundation; Maureen Costello, Teaching Tolerance; and Ben Leal and Rev. Christopher Girata, Jubilee Park.

The Simmons School honored Jubilee Park and Community  Center, The Meadows Foundation, and Teaching Tolerance, a project of The Southern Poverty Law Center  as catalysts for change in education during its annual Luminary Award dinner on March 29.

Jubilee Park and Community Center serves neighborhoods near Fair Park in Dallas by providing a range of services for families. This includes after-school programs for children and adult education. The Meadows Foundation was honored for its work across the state in strengthening public education, and Teaching Tolerance received recognition for teaching materials that support equitable school experiences for all students in the nation’s classrooms. Read more.