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Gary Houchens
Bowling Green, KY
I am a former teacher, principal, and district administrator now serving as Professor of Educational Administration in the School of Leadrship and Professional Studies at Western Kentucky University. I am Senior Fellow at the Pegasus Institute, serve on the Board of Scholars for the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, and on the board of directors for EdChoice Kentucky. From 2016-2019 I was a member of the Kentucky Board of Education.
Recent Activity
Kentucky nonpublic school enrollment skyrockets
Posted 5 days ago at School Leader
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KY General Assembly 2022 Education Recap
Posted May 11, 2022 at School Leader
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I will check it out!
Classical education, Montessori, and the tension between the "what" and "how" of learning
In recent years my philosophical thinking about education has focused far more on the how of learning than the what. That is, I've become much less concerned about curriculum and far more concerned about pedagogy as I've been convinced that the industrial, one-size-fits-all model of American ed...
Will charter schools finally come to Kentucky?
Posted Mar 5, 2022 at School Leader
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SB 138 strikes the right balance in addressing CRT, social studies standards
I've written extensively on this blog and elsewhere about the legitimate need for parents and the public to confront the risk of critical race theory (CRT) being taught in Kentucky's schools, and also about deficiencies in the state's social studies standards. A bill currently under review in the Kentucky Senate... Continue reading
Posted Feb 21, 2022 at School Leader
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My war with the education establishment
A recurring theme in my life over the last eight or so years has been how frequently I get painted, especially on social media, as an enemy of public schools. Sometimes I can laugh it off. After 25 years of working mostly in direct or indirect service of public schools,... Continue reading
Posted Feb 15, 2022 at School Leader
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Yes, it's time to reform Kentucky's School-Based Decision-Making Councils
In my latest guest editorial for Kentucky Fried Politics, I argue that it's past time to reform Kentucky's law governing School-Based Decision-Making (SBDM) Councils. But unlike proposed legislation that would divest SBDM Councils of all their power and give it to the district superintendent, I argue that a better path... Continue reading
Posted Feb 6, 2022 at School Leader
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Great question! I need to write about this as I believe my thinking has indeed evolved. I'll try to update with some links or write something fresh when I can!
Classical education, Montessori, and the tension between the "what" and "how" of learning
In recent years my philosophical thinking about education has focused far more on the how of learning than the what. That is, I've become much less concerned about curriculum and far more concerned about pedagogy as I've been convinced that the industrial, one-size-fits-all model of American ed...
Fund Students, Not Systems
Last Saturday I was greatly honored to be a guest speaker at the first statewide event sponsored by No Left Turn in Education - Kentucky. NLTE-KY is the state chapter of a national organization dedicated to fighting against leftist indoctrination in K-12 school curricula, promoting greater transparency in what is... Continue reading
Posted Jan 17, 2022 at School Leader
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The fight for school choice in Kentucky - an update
Education history was made in Kentucky earlier this year when the state legislature passed - over the expected veto of Gov. Andy Beshear - one of the nation's most expansive school choice laws. But now the education establishment, in a last ditch effort to preserve their monopoly, is trying to... Continue reading
Posted Dec 5, 2021 at School Leader
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Homeschooling surges in Kentucky
Posted Oct 15, 2021 at School Leader
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Give parents options to "woke mathematics"
In my latest op-ed for Commonwealth Educational Opportunities with co-author John Garen, now published in multiple newspapers across the state, we highlight a new "anti-racist" math program in the Jefferson County Public Schools. We contrast this with the approach to rigorous math instruction made most famous by Jaime Escalante at... Continue reading
Posted Oct 5, 2021 at School Leader
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JCPS Board member to fellow Kentuckians: "F--- you"
Posted Sep 2, 2021 at School Leader
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Kentucky's social studies standards get a "C"
Posted Jul 9, 2021 at School Leader
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Thanks for the thoughtful comments.
I believe that if the SBDM statute was amended to include equal parent-teacher representation AND a non-parent community representative, then this entire discussion could stay at the local level.
I also like the idea of student representation. When I served on the Kentucky Board of Education we approved several SBDM waivers from high schools that wanted to include non-voting student members in their council.
To my knowledge no school has officially "adopted" CRT materials. But there's no doubt that teachers are using CRT-inspired materials and there are few ways to know how that is being done or make it more transparent. I wrote more about this here: https://schoolleader.typepad.com/school-leader/2021/06/equity-and-diversity-are-good-crt-is-not.html
Finally, I think depending on the author there are some linkages between CRT and culturally responsive teaching practices but here too I think everything comes down to HOW a strategy is being used and with what age level of students. I use Zaretta Hammond's book in one of my classes and find its perspectives very useful, especially for teachers who may not have worked with many diverse learners. But I think it's also possible to use culturally responsive instructional materials that do not rely on - and in fact reject - some of CRT's assumptions. The 1776 Unites materials are a good example: https://projectforeverfree.org/1776-unites-celebrates-black-excellence-and-rejects-victimhood-culture/
Kentucky’s SBDM Councils and critical race theory
The national controversy over critical race theory (CRT) and how it is presented in K-12 schools has come to Kentucky. (See my discussion of Bill Request 60, which would prohibit key components of CRT, and why this whole issue is a source of legitimate concern for everyone). The Gallatin County...
Equity and diversity are good; CRT is not
Evidently the crowd at last night's meeting of the Jefferson County Public Schools Board of Education got rowdy, with many attendees showing up to voice their concerns about how critical race theory (CRT) is being presented in the district's schools. The board was meeting in a work session to discuss... Continue reading
Posted Jun 23, 2021 at School Leader
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Kentucky’s SBDM Councils and critical race theory
The national controversy over critical race theory (CRT) and how it is presented in K-12 schools has come to Kentucky. (See my discussion of Bill Request 60, which would prohibit key components of CRT, and why this whole issue is a source of legitimate concern for everyone). The Gallatin County... Continue reading
Posted Jun 20, 2021 at School Leader
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No, CRT is not just having a conversation about racism
Posted Jun 15, 2021 at School Leader
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Beshear, Glass defend critical race theory in the classroom
Over the last year American schools have seen an explosion of teacher training and classroom instruction based on critical race theory (CRT), which explores how racism is supposedly perpetuated in every aspect of society. Several state legislatures have moved to ban classroom instruction that reflects some of the more extreme... Continue reading
Posted Jun 2, 2021 at School Leader
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What is personalized learning and how do we know if we're "doing" it?
Posted May 17, 2021 at School Leader
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Critical race theory prevents real progress on closing achievement gaps
Update, 4/29. I made a five-minute video as a companion piece to the essay described to below. In it I describe what critical theory is, how it can be useful, but why it has to be rejected as the single lens through which we address issues of racial achievement gaps:... Continue reading
Posted Apr 26, 2021 at School Leader
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Kentucky Board of Education regains its independence
With little fanfare, today Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear signed HB 178, which prohibits governors from doing what Beshear himself did in December 2019 when he fired me and the ten other members of the Kentucky Board of Education for purely partisan reasons, quickly initiating the resignation of then-Commissioner of Education... Continue reading
Posted Apr 5, 2021 at School Leader
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KY finally crashes through the education establishment barricades, becomes a school choice state
After years of hard work on the part of lawmakers, educators, and parent activitists, Kentucky has finally passed a school choice law. HB 563 was vetoed by Gov. Andy Beshear, but last night both houses of the state legislature overrode his veto and the bill will go to Secretary of... Continue reading
Posted Mar 30, 2021 at School Leader
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Living Not By Lies in Education
Posted Mar 19, 2021 at School Leader
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Unleashing Parent Power in Education
Posted Mar 4, 2021 at School Leader
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