Whether she’s speaking at congressional meetings in Washington, D.C., earning various awards, or serving as board president for Alief ISD, Dr. Darlene Breaux is a testament to what can happen when you pursue your passions and hold a strong pulse on what the world needs from an educational, social, and spiritual standpoint. As an ACU Online alumna of the Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership program (‘20), Dr. Darlene Breaux continues to shine as the program director for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership – a newly established program for those interested in becoming transformational principals and superintendents in their communities. Interested in changing the lives of her students from the inside out, Dr. Breaux shares her journey to Texas, her experience at ACU Online, her impressive career, and how she’s discovered education to be a continuing vocational calling.
On the Road to Education
Dr. Breaux didn’t start as the director of the Research and Evaluation Institute for the Harris County Department of Education and a board member of Alief Independent School District in Houston, Texas. Before all this, Dr. Breaux was one of nine children. Growing up in West Virginia, where it wasn’t a guarantee or expectation from her teachers that she’d go to college Because early in her educational journey she was identified as a student with a reading disability (dyslexia) and faced some definite educational challenges. But, through the support of her parents and siblings, Dr. Breaux persisted and earned her way into Marshall University.
Fast forward to the summer of her sophomore year, Dr. Breaux vividly remembers visiting her sister in Houston, Texas the summer of her sophomore year where she immediately fell in love with the people, climate, and atmosphere. Begging her parents to let her move to Texas, she maneuvered her way to becoming a Texas resident and finishing her undergraduate studies at Texas Southern University (TSU). According to her, “it was really not just about the weather but also just the people and the diversity [..] West Virginia will always hold a special place in my heart , but Houston is now my home.”
Completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology from TSU, Dr. Breaux then began her professional career as a Pre-K and Kindergarten teacher at a private school — before she launched herself into obtaining her master’s degree in educational management with a principal certification at the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
Getting hooked on learning and specializing in the educational system, Dr. Breaux continued her impressive career by working in a mental facility for children. After witnessing what her patients were going through, she wondered if her efforts would make a greater impact if she focused more on improving educational systems for children from within. “I just kept telling myself, ‘man, if I could only get into that classroom, maybe I could prevent or delay some of these kids ending up in a psychiatric hospital or residential facility,” Breaux said. Moved by their responses and emotional ties to how much influence a teacher can have on a student, Dr. Breaux decided to dive head-first into her new mission of obtaining a teaching certification. She wasted no time and ultimately began working toward building her career in the educational system of Harris County.
A Rising Star In-and-Out
Initially recruited as the Director of Special Populations for the Harris County Department of Education, Dr. Breaux learned about the various needs of her community, including those with learning and language differences. In light of her child development and research expertise, Dr. Breaux was promptly promoted to the director of the Research and Evaluation Institute. While creating countless initiatives for Harris County students and faculty members, Dr. Breaux still felt like something was missing. It wasn’t enough to just complete a project and move on with her day. She wanted to enact change. She felt like there was still more to learn about educational leadership and maybe more to learn about herself as a woman of color in the education system.
Once again, she was on the search for more knowledge to support her vision to enact educational reforms for minority students. Looking for a program that focused on enriching her professional experience, Dr. Breaux found out about ACU Online’s Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership program and immediately knew this was something she needed to do. Having the opportunity to take classes with other working professionals in education, she learned how to view education from different perspectives and how she could tie more about herself as a leader, educator, and believer.
Throughout her time in the program, Dr. Breaux received several recognitions, including winning the “Outstanding Dissertation Award” from the Texas Council of Professors of Educational Administration for her work titled Teachers’ Perceptions Regarding Dyslexia Professional Development Training for Addressing the Social-Emotional Needs of Children With Dyslexia. On top of that, she was also profiled by Psychology Today for her contributions to the book Black and Brown Leadership and the Promotion of Change in an Era of Social Unrest, as well as Texas School Business magazine where she was highlighted as a “Thought Leader and Innovator in Education.” And while she was praised by many, Dr. Breaux’s biggest takeaway during her time as an ACU Online student was hearing about the power of vocational callings.
“During our program at ACU, they emphasized that we all have a vocational calling, which is something that really stuck with me [..] It drove me deeper into reflection and understanding of a career versus a calling.
Leading Future Wildcats
After earning her Ed.D. in August 2020, Dr. Breaux felt her vocational calling nudging her towards new endeavors. In 2023, she rejoined the ACU family as the newest program director for the Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership. Eager to bring in aspiring educators and leaders interested in becoming changemakers, she began her appointment with the first cohort in Fall 2024. Dr. Breaux’s extensive experience, including being honored as the School Board Member of the Year by the local, state, and national levels of the National Alliance of Black School Educators, one of Houston’s Top 30 Influential Women, and recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the White House Administration, has made her a household name for rising scholars and advocates.
“What’s really exciting to me about the new EdD in Educational Leadership program is to design a practitioner-focused program that will train and educate the next generation of leaders,” Dr. Breaux remarks. “I am very much a hands-on person, and it’s important to me to design a program that is beneficial for our students and advances the university’s mission which is to educate students for christian service and leadership throughout the world. This work will have rippling effects by creating change agents who are working in their calling. Being a part of this opportunity is so fulfilling.”
Guiding countless educators and women in leadership, Dr. Breaux continues her efforts to enact real change from the bottom to the top with grace and peace.
Interested in learning more about our program? Visit our website or call 855-219-7300 to learn how you can step into a fulfilling, innovative future at ACU Online.