Bio

Leanne Howell, Ph.D., teaches in the EdD graduate program- Learning and Organizational Change, after spending four years in the department as a Clinical Assistant Professor. In 2022, the EdD graduate program where she teaches was awarded by the Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate (CPED) as the Program of the Year. This award is given annually to one or more institutions whose program demonstrates distinctive innovation designed to be an exemplar for others.

In her previous position as a Clinical Assistant Professor, she was instrumental in launching the first elementary Professional Development School (PDS) partnership in Midway ISD in 2014. In collaboration with university and district colleagues, in 2017 that partnership earned the Exemplary Professional Development School Achievement Award  from NAPDS, an honor that was bestowed to only three other PDS partnerships across the nation that year.

Dr. Howell holds a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in educational psychology — both from Baylor University. She earned her PhD in Urban Education from Texas A&M University.  She is a member of the graduate faculty in the Department of Curriculum & Instruction and serves on the Baylor University Honor Council. Known for her high expectations of students, Dr. Howell has a passion for teaching and enjoys supporting students in their research, as well as their eadership roles in all facets of life.

Dr. Howell serves as the lead section faculty for Social Foundations of Education (EDC 5391), a course she created that challenges students to not only learn new content, but also utilize the “4Cs” — Collaboration, Creation, Communication and Critical Thinking. She also serves as a Faculty Advisor (Dissertation Chair) in the Problem of Practice dissertation course sequence, where she has chaired over 35 dissertations with students in Cohorts 1, 6, and 8. She annually presents her work at conferences and actively publishes in scholarly contexts.

Degrees (3)

Doctor of Philosophy: Curriculum and Instruction/Urban Education
2010
Texas A&M University

Master of Science: School Counseling/ GT Education
1992
Baylor University

Bachelor of Science: Elementary Education
1989
Baylor University

Certifications (4)

Professional Special Education Counselor (Grades PK-12)

Professional Counselor (Grades PK-12)

Provisional Elementary Reading (Grades 1-8)

Provisional Elementary Self-Contained (Grades 1-8)