Miranda Dunlap

East Lansing, Houston

K-12 education reporter @hou_landing. Michigander turned Houstonian! Engagement ≠ endorsement. DM for signal. [email protected]

Articles

Federal judge: Spring Branch ISD’s election system violates law, must be changed

1 month ago | houstonlanding.org | Miranda Dunlap

A federal judge ruled Monday that Spring Branch ISD’s election system violates the Voting Rights Act and must be changed to give Latino residents more opportunity for representation on the district’s school board. The ruling caps a roughly four-year legal battle and adds to the growing number of school districts forced to change how voters elect trustees.
How much debt do community college students take on? More than you might think.

2 months ago | opencampus.org | Miranda Dunlap

While community colleges are known for being affordable, student loan debt is still a reality for many students. On average, roughly 19 percent of last year’s graduates across the nine community colleges in the Houston region had student debt, totaling an average of $14,200. Houston-area community colleges regularly charge students thousands of dollars each year to attend the institutions, state data shows, with price tags at some colleges reaching nearly $4,000 per year.
How much debt do community college students take on? More than you might think.

2 months ago | houstonlanding.org | Miranda Dunlap

While community colleges are known for being affordable, student loan debt is still a reality for many students. On average, roughly 19 percent of last year’s graduates across the nine community colleges in the Houston region had student debt. Houston-area community colleges regularly charge students thousands of dollars each year to attend the institutions, state data shows, with price tags at some colleges reaching nearly $4,000 per year.
HCC asked 1,800 people about changing the community college’s name. Here’s what they said.

2 months ago | houstonlanding.org | Miranda Dunlap

Most folks in and around Houston Community College are ready for the school to take on a new persona — Houston College? Bayou City College? — but support for a name change isn’t overwhelming. A survey of over 1,800 students, business owners, parents and residents over two months revealed considerable approval of rebranding HCC, which could involve removing the word “community” from its name, according to a 100-page report released this week.
San Jacinto College seeks $4.5 million from Legislature to expand cybersecurity training

2 months ago | houstonlanding.org | Miranda Dunlap

Inside San Jacinto College’s Security Operations Center, four flat-screen TVs lining the front wall flash with real-time cyberattacks against the college’s network. From a row of desks, a handful of students “threat hunt,” investigating suspicious users logging in from faraway countries or attempting dozens of incorrect passwords. While the students are still learning, the cyberthreats they’re confronting in class are real.
Q&A: How San Jacinto College is betting on virtual campuses to boost enrollment

2 months ago | opencampus.org | Miranda Dunlap

Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions to pivot to makeshift virtual formats for most classes, San Jacinto College leaders are launching a fully virtual campus for more students to complete their courseloads online. Leaders hope that the creation of “San Jac Online” scaling up their online offerings over the next few years will boost enrollment, increase the number of credentials students complete and make community college more accessible.
Q&A: How San Jacinto College is betting on virtual campuses to boost enrollment

2 months ago | houstonlanding.org | Miranda Dunlap

Each week, “Pop Quiz” features an interview with a member of Greater Houston’s education community. To suggest someone we should interview with an interesting story to tell, email us at [email protected]. Five years after the COVID-19 pandemic forced higher education institutions to pivot to makeshift virtual formats for most classes, San Jacinto College leaders are launching a fully virtual campus for more students to complete their courseloads virtually.
HCC cancels student trip to London, citing fears of Trump immigration crackdown

2 months ago | houstonlanding.org | Miranda Dunlap

Houston Community College student Juan Manrique spent months dreaming about a 10-day study abroad trip to London with 80 of his fellow Honors College classmates. The business major, who enrolled at HCC largely because of the promise of the annual international trip, even bought $500 tickets to attend his first Premier League soccer game while in England. But HCC leaders canceled the trip in mid-February, leaving students miffed.
Help wanted: Many HCC international students scramble for work, but few get it

2 months ago | houstonlanding.org | Miranda Dunlap

When Houston Community College international student Quang Nhat Minh Le secured a part-time job crunching data in the school’s recreational sports department last summer, he unlocked a coveted experience few of his classmates get. Le, a native of Vietnam, faced stiff competition for the role at HCC, where thousands of international students compete each year for a few dozen openings.
Trump is pummeling higher education. Where do Houston community colleges stand?

Mar 28, 2025 | houstonlanding.org | Miranda Dunlap

Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has targeted dozens of higher education institutions, worked to dismantle the Department of Education, and taken aim at diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Meanwhile, community colleges in Houston and elsewhere have generally sat quietly on the sidelines — not a direct target of Trump’s overhaul, but not shielded from his actions, either.