The Department of Teaching and Learning
Kathy Hargrove, Ph.D.
Senior Lecturer
Dr. Hargrove has been an educator for more years than she likes to count,
teaching in a variety of assignments from an inner city high school to
kindergarten in a small Texas town. She held positions in the Plano I.S.D. for
more than 20 years as a middle school and high school teacher, English
department chairman, curriculum writer, curriculum coordinator, and Director of
Advanced Academic Studies. Highlights of her public school career include
obtaining the first grant for a gifted program in the district and the
subsequent development and expansion of that program as well as authorship of
curriculum focusing on critical thinking, gifted education, and effective
assessment strategies.
In addition to her district responsibilities, Dr. Hargrove served districts,
regional service centers, and the state as a consultant, teacher trainer, and
keynote speaker. She taught in SMU’s Talented and Gifted Program for more than
five years. Active in the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented, she was
elected as a member of the TAGT Board of Directors and First Vice President. In
1993 she was elected president of the 8,000-member organization. In 2000 the
Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science (TAMS) and the University of North
Texas named her “Outstanding Administrator of the Year in Gifted Education.” She
has twice received the “President’s Award” from TAGT. She has been a U.S.
delegate to the World Council for Gifted Children for the last five years. She
has a special interest in international gifted education, teaching in an
international school in India and visiting gifted programs in England, South
Korea, and Israel. She is a frequent presenter at educational conferences.
Dr. Hargrove came to SMU in 1992 as Director of the Gifted Students Institute
and led in expanding the Institute’s services. Institute programs now include
workshops and lectures for educators and parents, special youth events, and
summer programs for gifted youth. She led in gaining state approval of a
graduate endorsement program in gifted education that has consistently been one
of the largest in the state. In 2000 she assumed additional responsibilities as
the Director of the Center for Teacher Education before being appointed
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs.
Her research interests are in the area of gifted education and curriculum and
instruction as well as in program evaluation. She has served as lead evaluator
in a number of large and small school districts in Texas. A regular columnist in
Gifted Child Today, she serves as a reviewer for the journal for teachers and
parents of gifted children. In 2010 she co-authored (with Dr. M. V. Prasad) a
book, Best Practices for School Improvement, designed for educators in India.
Dr. Hargrove was awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to India as a Visiting Lecturer
for 2011-2012.
Dr. Hargrove earned a B.A. in English and history from Baylor University, a M.A.
in English from Texas A & M (Commerce), and a Ph.D. from Texas Woman’s
University. She holds Texas K-12, supervisor, and reading specialist
certifications.