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DALLAS () – Stephanie Knight, Leon Simmons Endowed Dean of the Annette Caldwell Simmons School of Education and Human Development, will conclude her deanship on May 31. Knight, a nationally recognized education leader, researcher and professor, has served as the school’s dean since August 2017.

“Dean Knight’s commitment to advancing the field of education, fostering innovative research, and creating meaningful partnerships has made a lasting impact on both the Simmons School and the broader community,” said SMU President R. Gerald Turner. “Her legacy will continue to shape the future of education for years to come.”

Under Knight’s leadership, the Simmons School has been ranked in the top 11 private schools in the nation and the top 3 public and private schools in Texas. The  place the Simmons School in the top tier of graduate education schools. Faculty are committed to pursuing evidence-based solutions that change lives, with more than 70% of tenured professors engaging in funded research, attracting more than $90 million in external funding during her tenure as dean.

“Dean Knight has ushered in a period of unprecedented success and recognition for the Simmons School. During her tenure, Simmons has achieved and retained a top 50 ranking in US News’ top graduate education schools. Per capita, Simmons faculty are consistently SMU’s most research-active, and their research and academic programs demonstrate a clear and direct impact on the community. Simmons’ successes reflect both Stephanie’s professional contributions and compelling vision,” said Elizabeth Loboa, SMU provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. 

Knight’s scholarly interests demonstrate a dedication to bringing the results of scientific research to the K-12 classroom. During her tenure at Simmons, she spearheaded the creation of a partnership with the Toyota USA Foundation, the Dallas Independent School District, and the West Dallas community to develop a STEM-focused elementary school in West Dallas. She serves as the PI on the Dr. Elba and Domingo Garcia West Dallas STEM School project, which provides a research-based, industry-informed STEM curriculum. She has championed professional development and coordination of community-based services at the school – including summer and afterschool programming, socio-emotional support for students, and parenting support for families – with the goal of developing a replicable model.

Knight began her education career as a classroom teacher of Spanish and French in Texas, Saudi Arabia and Pennsylvania. She received her doctorate in curriculum and instruction at the University of Houston before beginning a 20-year tenure at Texas A&M University, where she was professor of educational psychology and teaching, learning and culture. She joined Pennsylvania State University in 2009 as professor of educational psychology, and in 2013 she became associate dean at Penn State, leading the College of Education's undergraduate and graduate studies programs.

Provost Loboa will appoint an interim dean in the coming weeks and will begin engaging Simmons faculty, executive board members, staff and students this spring to inform the national search for the next Simmons dean.