Where to Find My Essays, Op-Eds, Research, and Other Writing

I've created this page to catalog my publications, including peer-reviewed research, essays, opinion pieces, and other writing.

Publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals

• Houchens, G. W. (2022). [Review of the book COVID-19 and the classroom: How schools navigated the great disruption, by D. T. Marshall, Ed]. Journal of School Choice: International Research and Reform, 16(4).  https://doi.org/10.1080/15582159.2022.2135842
• Kisa, N., Badavan, Y., & Houchens, G. W. (2020). Reasons for the theory-practice gap in the field of education administration. Kastamonu Education Journal, 28(4), 1629-1645.
• Houchens, G. W., Niu, C., Zhang, J., Miller, S. K., & Norman, A. D. (2018). Do differences in principal and assistant principal perceptions predict student achievement outcomes? NASSP Bulletin, 102(1), 38-57.
• Houchens, G. W., Zhang, J., Davis, K., Niu, C., Chon, K. H., & Miller, S. (2017). The impact of Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) on perceptions of teaching conditions in Kentucky schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 19(3), 168-179. doi: 10.1177/1098300717696938
• Houchens, G. W., Stewart, T. A., & Jennings, S. E. (2017). Enhancing instructional leadership through collaborative coaching: A multi-case study. International Journal of Mentoring and Coaching in Education, 6(1), 34-49. doi: 10.1108/IJMCE-07-2016-0057
  • This study was recognized as a Highly Commended article for the journal in the 2018 Emerald Literati Awards. 
• Hagan, D., & Houchens, G. W. (2016). Catholic school faculty meetings: A case study linking Catholic identity, school improvement, and teacher engagement. Journal of Catholic Education, 20(1), 81-113. doi: 10.15365/joce.2001022016
• Houchens, G. W., & Keaster, R. D. (2015). Enhancing teacher leadership through instructional rounds: A district case study.  In Warrick, D., & Mueller, J. (Eds.), Lessons in changing cultures: Learning from real world cases (pages 345-357). Oxford, UK: Rossi Smith.
• Stewart, T. A., & Houchens, G. W. (2014). Deep impact: Utilizing a job-embedded professional development model to initiate lasting effects on teacher practice. Qualitative Research in Education, 3(1), 51-82. 
• Houchens, G. W., & Cabrera, J. (2013, Summer). Preparing principals for instructional leadership: Integrating the Common Core Standards. Kentucky Journal for Excellence in College Teaching and Learning, Special Issue: Revitalizing Education: Bring the Common Core State Standards into the Classroom, 56-62. 
• Houchens, G. W., Hurt, J. C., Stobaugh, R., & Keedy, J. L. (2012). Double-loop learning: A coaching protocol for enhancing school principals’ instructional leadership.  Qualitative Research in Education, 1(2), 135-178. 
• Houchens, G. W., & Keedy, J. L. (2009).  Theories of practice: Understanding the practice of educational leadership.  Journal of Thought, 44, 49-61. doi: 10.2307/jthought.44.3-4.49

Newspaper Articles/Book Reviews/Op-Eds

• A reckoning is coming for higher education. Bowling Green Daily News. September 14, 2024.
• School choice opponents are either confused, or want to confuse voters. Lexington Herald-Leader. July 17, 2024.
• Commentary: Biden wants to impose radical gender views on Kentucky schools. Bowling Green Daily News. July 6, 2024.
• First person: 10 Commandments laws are about education, not evangelization. Kentucky Today. June 30, 2024.  
• Commentary: Defenders of Kentucky's education status quo need better slogans. Bowling Green Daily News. June 9, 2024. 
• Commentary: Tough talk for today's graduates. Bowling Green Daily News. May 8, 2024.
• Commentary: Rittenhouse visit reveals threats to free speech. Bowling Green Daily News. April 14, 2024.
• Commentary: What research really says about school choice. Bowling Green Daily News, co-authored with John Garen. March 20, 2024.
• Commentary: It's time for Kentucky to elect the state board of education. Kentucky Today. January 12, 2024.
• Commentary: School choice needed in Kentucky now more than ever. Kentucky Today. October 18, 2022.
• Why education policy should be about funding students, not systems. Louisville Courier Journal. August 15, 2022.
• Commentary: More Kentucky families sending kids to nonpublic schools; help on the way. Kentucky Today. August 11, 2022.
• An educator's war with the education establishment. Chalkboard Review. February 14, 2022.
• Yes, it's time reform Kentucky's School-Based Decision-Making Councils. Kentucky Fried Politics. February 6, 2022.
• Why we should advance school choice, not critical race theory. Louisville Courier Journal, co-authored with John Garen. January 20, 2022.
• Commentary: Strong school choice options is a better investment than more school spending. Northern Kentucky Tribune, co-authored with John Garen. May 19, 2021.
• Opinion: Kentucky needs to demand more options on how to educate their kids. Louisville Courier-Journal, co-authored with John Garen. January 15, 2021.
• Opinion: Beshear has been abusing executive power since day one. Beechtree News. November 20, 2020. 
• Perspectives: School choice policies needed in Ky. Kentucky Today. November 16, 2020. 
• Gov. Beshear needs to stop bullying schools over COVID shutdowns. Kentucky Today, August 12.
• Commentary: The fight for school choice in Kentucky goes on. Kentucky Today. March 19, 2019. 
• Opinion: Scholarship tax credits give low-income students a leg up. Cincinnati Enquirer. March 1, 2019.  
• Lawmakers fail Kentucky families on school choice. Kentucky Today. April 5, 2018. 
• Book review: ‘Resurrecting the Idea of a Christian Society.’ Bowling Green Daily News. May 14, 2017. 
• Montessori needs charters and choice. [Invited article]. MontessoriPublic (Spring 2017).
• Commentary: All schools can have charter-like autonomy if they accept charter accountability. KyForward. May 10, 2017. 
• Tax credits best approach to school choice in Kentucky. Cincinnati Enquirer. March 2, 2017. 
• Book Review: Knowledge in this book matters. Bowling Green Daily News. January 22, 2017. 
• Baby steps for school choice. Kentucky Today. December 10, 2016. 
• Memoir: Hillbilly culture antithesis to writer’s success. Bowling Green Daily News. October 2, 2016. 
• Book Review: Levin’s “Fractured Republic” offers some fine ideas. Bowling Green Daily News. September 11, 2016.  
• Kentucky charter schools: Research challenges wild accusations. Louisville Courier-Journal. January 16, 2016. 
• School choice can help Kentucky compete. Louisville Courier-Journal.  September 20, 2015.
• Ky voices: Guarantee high-quality curriculum to all students. Lexington Herald-Leader.  December 31, 2012. 
• Law allows innovation but does little to offer choice. Lexington Herald-Leader. May 29, 2012. 
• Ky. voices: Autonomy, accountability makes charter schools worthwhile.  Lexington Herald-Leader.  February 19, 2012.  

Magazine Articles

• School improvement: Urgency and humility. Kentucky School Leader, Winter 2019.
• Tom Stewart & Gary Houchens, The self-aware school leader: Nine Enneagram-informed views of the principalship. Enneagram Monthly, May 2016.
• Rebecca Stobaugh & Gary Houchens, Preparing for success. Principal Leadership, March 2014.
  • This issue of Principal Leadership, which focused on the topic of supporting teachers, was recognized with a 2014 Apex Award for publishing excellence.
• “Let it Go:” Frozen and the Enneagram Type One. Nine Points Magazine. April 8, 2014. 
• Tom Stewart & Gary Houchens, That’s me: Using Ennea-type profiles to enhance school leader effectiveness.  Nine Points Magazine.  
• The ritual “hazing” of assistant principals. School Administrator, 14-15. December, 2012.
• On privatization: School choice distorted.  Educational Leadership, 69(6), 91 (March 2012).
• Tom Stewart & Gary Houchens, Employing the Enneagram in a public school district: Creating opportunities for authenticity.  Nine Points.  January-March 2011. 

Essays, Contributions to Other Blogs, and Miscellaneous Publications

• Why homeschooling families should support school choice. BIPPS Policy Points. September 26, 2024.
• Liberal teacher to postliberal professor. The American Postliberal. September 6, 2024.
• Fathers, sons and politics. Bowling Green Daily News. August 18, 2024.
• "Our democracy" depends on more than this election. Bowling Green Daily News. August 13, 2024.
• Educating for Wisdom. The Imaginative Conservative. August 31, 2023.
• Conservatives, liberals, and the purpose of education. The Imaginative Conservative. March 1, 2023.
• The divine teacher. The Imaginative Conservative. October 30, 2022.
• Restoring the Catholic in Catholic schools. Missio Dei. October 24, 2022.
• Perspectives on the ACE Reform Leaders Summit. Notre Dame Alliance for Catholic Education. October 11, 2022.
• Challenge the Education Establishment. Commonwealth Educational Opportunities. October 5, 2022.
• Is school choice good for teachers? Commonwealth Educational Opportunities. June 12, 2022. 
• The political establishment sides with the education establishment. Commonwealth Educational Opportunities. May 25, 2022. 
• Will the U.S. Supreme Court protect religious liberty? Commonwealth Educational Opportunities. December 8, 2021.
• Homeschooling surges in Kentucky. Commonwealth Educational Opportunities. October 25, 2021.
• Correct answers or politically correct answers (with John Garen). Commonwealth Educational Opportunities. October 5, 2021.
• Fight critical race theory with instructional transparency. Commonwealth Educational Opportunities. September 27, 2021.
• JCPS board member to fellow Kentuckians: "F--- you". Kentucky Fried Politics. August 27, 2021.
• Critical race theory prevents real progress on closing achievement gaps. The Chalkboard Review. April 26, 2021.
• Living not by lies in education. The Chalkboard Review. March 19, 2021.
• The cultural contradictions of American education. The Chalkboard Review. Febuary 19, 2021.  
• Remembering Richard Elmore. Project Forever Free. February 18, 2021. https://projectforeverfree.org/remembering-richard-elmore/
• Do school principals need university training? The Chalkboard Review. January 20, 21.  
• From socialist teacher to conservative professor. The Chalkboard Review. December 8, 2020.
• Is it time for “nationalist” education? The Imaginative Conservative. November 9, 2020. 
• What is patriotic education? The Imaginative Conservative. October 12, 2020. 
• Is critical race theory racist? The Imaginative Conservative. Septmeber 30, 2020.  
• Memory and hope: Restoring the teaching of American history. The Imaginative Conservative. August 31, 2020. 
• COVID-19 and P-12 Education in Kentucky, explained. Pegasus Institute website. March 25, 2020. 
• From the Bluegrass Institute Board of Scholars – Getting serious about education reform: Empower principals and parents. [Guest blog post for the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Studies.] April 15, 2015. 

Research, Technical, and Program Evaluation Reports

• Houchens, G. W. (2022). Ending the status quo: Kentucky parents increasingly choose nonpublic education options. Research report for EdChoice Kentucky.
• Norman, A.D., Redifer, J., & Houchens, G. (2020). KYTC REAL ID Survey: Results report. Bowling Green, KY: WKU Rock Solid Evaluation Services. Submitted to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet.
• Norman, A. D., Houchens, G. W., Zhang, J., Redifer, J., & Schroeder, A. (2016). kid-FRIENDLy year three progress: An external evaluation report by the WKU Rock Solid evaluation team. Bowling Green, KY: WKU.
• Norman, A. D., Houchens, G. W., Zhang, J., Redifer, J., & Schroeder, A. (2015). kid-FRIENDLy year two progress: An external evaluation report by the WKU Rock Solid evaluation team. Bowling Green, KY: WKU.
• Norman, A. D., Houchens, G. W., Zhang, J., Miller, S. K., Redifer, J., & Schroeder, A. (2014). kid-FRIENDLy year one progress: An external evaluation report by the WKU Rock Solid evaluation team. Bowling Green, KY: WKU.

Non-Education Related Writings

• A Conservative Vision for Warren County. Warren County Conservatives. March 19, 2024.
• Liberalism leads to Marxism. The American Postliberal. January 24, 2024. 
• Ritual or relationship? Missio Dei. January 17, 2024.
• Catholics and "Red Caesar." The American Postliberal. November 21, 2023. 
• Beyond the laptop class. The American Postliberal. September 8, 2023. 
• Catholic reflections on revival. Missio Dei. February 15, 2023. 
• Book review: Conservatism - A Rediscovery. Warren County Conservatives. February 6, 2023. 
• Truth and love: A Catholic convert reflects on Benedict XVI. Missio Dei. December 31, 2022. 
• Be more than just a parent & become a Catholic parent. Missio Dei. November 1, 2022. 
• 7 reasons why the resurrection of the dead is so important. Missio Dei. October 5, 2022.
• All you need is caritas. Missio Dei. September 21, 2022.