Educational Leadership

College of Education and Human Development

Debbie A. Troxclair, Ph.D.

troxclair-400x600-24


Debbie A. Troxclair, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
(409) 880-8509
Education 208
datroxclair@lamar.edu 

Debra A. Troxclair, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Lamar University, was instrumental in developing the online M.Ed. Special Education degree program and a concentration of gifted education courses within Lamar University's Teacher Leadership online master’s degree program. She is a life-long advocate for the education of children with exceptionalities, especially those who are gifted and talented and those who are twice exceptional. She has served on the Board of Directors for both the Texas Association for Gifted and for the Council of Exceptional Children-The Association for Gifted. Dr. Troxclair has recently been elected by the Association for Gifted and Talented Students-Louisiana as president for 2024-2025, and she recently received the 2024 Service Award from Council for Exceptional Children-The Association for the Gifted (CEC-TAG).

Dr. Troxclair has 20 years of experience teaching at the K-12 level as well as training graduate students in gifted and special education at the graduate level. She earned an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and an M.Ed. Special Education: Emphasis Gifted Education from the University of New Orleans. Her doctorate in Special Education was earned from The University of Southern Mississippi. She has been actively involved in many state and national professional organizations in gifted and special education since 1987 and served as co-chair of the 16th Biennial Conference of the World Council for Gifted and Talented Children in New Orleans in 2005. In 2024 she was installed as a member of Phi Delta Beta Honor Society for International Students at Lamar University and was recognized by that group for collaboration on two chapters in an international book, "De Gids 2.0 Over Begaafdheid in het ondersjs" dealing with identity development of 2e learners.

She has made numerous conference presentations at local, regional, state, national, and international conferences on a variety of topics in gifted education. She has publications in Roeper Review, Gifted Child Today, Parenting for High Potential, Understanding Our Gifted, and TEMPO (an online resource of TAGT). She has contributed chapters in publications for NAGC, Using the National Gifted Education Standards for PreK -12 Professional Development, and she was a contributing author in the book Using the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts with Gifted and Advanced Learners (1st ed). She has recently began taking art classes where she can now reboot her other creative passion, watercolor painting.

Awards & Honors

  • Recipient of the 2024 Council for Exceptional Children-The Association of the Gifted (CEC-TAG) Service Award
  • Invited/installed as member of Phi Beta Delta International Honor Society (2024)

Courses

B.S. Interdisciplinary Studies Program

  • EACH 4303, 4305,
  • PEDG 2310, 3310, 4340, 4355, 4370, READ 3390, 3393, 4305,
  • SPED 2371, 3371, 3372, 3373, 4307, 4309

M.Ed. Teacher Leadership Program

  • GTED 5356, 5357, 5358, 5359
  • PEDG 5370, 5371, 5374, 5376

M.Ed. Special Education

  • SPED 5361/5301, 5320/5302, 5365/5311, 5366/5313, 5388/5314
  • PEDG 5375

Alternative Certification Program

Experience

University Level

  • Lamar University - 15 years
  • Southeastern Louisiana University – 2 years
  • University of South Alabama – 2 years
  • University of Louisiana at Monroe – 2 years
  • University of St. Thomas-Houston – 4 years (adjunct faculty/Alternative Certification Program)

K-12 Experience

  • 4th Grade ESL Teacher – Houston ISD, Houston, TX 2006-2007 School Year
  • Substitute Teacher – New Caney ISD, Porter, TX 2005-2006 School Year
  • 6th Grade Teacher of the Gifted – Alief ISD, Houston, TX 2001-2002 School Year
  • Teacher of the Gifted - Resource Room (Grades 4 - 6) St. Tammany Parish Schools
    • Little Oak Middle School-1990-1991 School Year to January 1998
  • Third Grade Classroom Teacher-St. Tammany Parish Schools
    • Abney Elementary - 1985-1986 to 1989-1990 School Years
  • Librarian (Pre-K through 8th)-St. Francis Cabrini Elementary School
    • New Orleans, Louisiana 1984 - 1985 School Year
  • Kindergarten Classroom Teacher- Lake Castle Private School
    • New Orleans, Louisiana 1983-1984 School Year
  • First Grade Classroom Teacher-St. Joseph School
    • Gretna, Louisiana 1982-1983 School Year
  • Second Grade Classroom Teacher-St. Francis Cabrini Elementary
    • New Orleans, Louisiana 1977-1980 School Years
  • Fourth Grade Classroom Teacher-Orleans Parish Public Schools

Laurel Elementary School January 1977 to June 1977

Research and Publications

Books:

  • VanTassel-Baska, J., (Ed.), Hughes, C., Jolly, J., Kettler, T., Troxclair, D., & Johnson, S. (Contributing Author (2013). Using the Common Core State Standards for English Language Arts with gifted and advanced learners. Prufrock Press.

Chapters in Edited Books:

  • Troxclair, D., & van Gerven, E. (2023). Chapter 17 The ABCs of connective literacy. An approach to psychoeducating twice exceptional learners in E. van Gerven (ed.) "De Gids 2.0 Over Begaafdheid in het ondersjs" (The Guide 2.0 Giftedness in Education). Uitgerverif Leuker.nu(https:www.leuker.nu/)
  • Van Gerven, E., & Troxclair, D. (2023). Chapter 16 Possible barriers to identity development for dual exception students. In E. van Gerven (Ed.). "De Gids 2.0 Over Begaafdheid in het ondersjs" (The Guide 2.0 Giftedness in Education). Uitgerverif Leuker.nu (https:www.leuker.nu/)
  • Troxclair, D., Shaunessy-Dedrick, E., & Mursky, C. (2017). Designing professional development activities. In S.K. Johnsen and J. Clarenbach (Eds.), Using the National Gifted Education Standards for pre-K-grade 12 professional development (2nd ed). (109-126). Prufrock Press.
  • Troxclair, D., & Lee, C. (2017). Assessment of the effectiveness of professional development activities. In S.K. Johnsen and J. Clarenbach (Eds.), Using the National Gifted Education Standards for pre-K-grade 12 professional development (2nd ed). (127-154). Prufrock Press.
  • Troxclair, D. (2015). The use of Response to Intervention to provide appropriate instruction for twice-exceptional diverse learners. In D. A. Sisk (Ed.), Accelerating and extending literacy for diverse students. Rowman and Littlefield.

Online Publications

Online Publications: Journal Articles

  • Lee, L., Lewis, K., Sodergren, C., Troxclair, D., & Rutledge, S. (2024).What the research says about safe learning environments for all gifted learners. (Tempo, online peer-reviewed, journal).
  • Lewis, K., Rambo-Hernandez, K., Troxclair, D., Kabil, A., Hardin, K., Rutledge, S., Miller, J. Meyer, M., & Majority, K. (2021, November 21). What the research says: The impact of teacher beliefs in gifted education. Tempo, online peer reviewed, journal).
  • Majority, K., Lewis, K., Dearman, C., Troxclair, D., Miller, J., & Kabli, A. (2019). What the research says about social emotional development of the gifted. Tempo: Journal of the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented, 40(2.)
  • Troxclair, D. (2019) If I’m so smart, why do I _________? Tempo: Journal of the Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented, 40(1), 21-25, 37.
  • Lewis, K., Dearman, C., Fugate, M., Majority, K., Miller, J., Troxclair, D., & Voss, M. (2018). What the research says about being gifted in secondary/higher education. Tempo: Journal of the Texas      Association for the Gifted and Talented, 39(3), 31-36.

Other Online Publications:

  • Council for Exceptional Children (2020). A critical call to action: Supporting equity, diversity, and access for gifted students: An interactive Infographics. http://cectag.com/resources/a-critical-call-to-action-supporting-equity-diversity-and-access-for-gifted-students/

CD-ROM Collection:

  • Troxclair, D. (2011). Recognizing perfectionism in gifted children. In the NAGC mile marker series: Your road map for supporting gifted children (2nd ). Washington, D.C.: The National Association for Gifted Children.
  • Karnes, F. A., Troxclair, D. A., & Marquardt, R. G. (2011). Parents and the legal rights of gifted children. In the NAGC mile marker series: Your road map for supporting gifted children (2nd ). Washington, D.C.: The National Association for Gifted Children.

Refereed Journal Articles

  • Troxclair, D. (2013). Pre-service teacher attitudes towards gifted. Roeper Review, 35, 58-64
  • Troxclair, D. (2012). What the research says about RtI and gifted. Tempo, 33(1), 33-39.
  • Troxclair, D. (2004/2005/2006). Article for Reading Enrichment Activities for Children with High-Potential (R.E.A.C.H.) column in Reading Exploration and Discovery: Journal of the Louisiana Reading Association
  • Bibliotherapy: “The Girl Who Didn’t Mind” (Winter, 2005)
  • Author Study: A learning strategy for gifted readers, 25(2)
  • Reading assignment for classroom teachers of the gifted: Managing the behaviors of gifted learners, 25(1)
  • Troxclair, D. (2003/2004). Articles for Reading Enrichment Activities for Children with High-Potential (R.E.A.C.H.) column in Reading Exploration and Discovery: Journal of the Louisiana Reading Association
  • A pig’s tail or how can I tell if she’s gifted? 23(2)
  • ADHD, gifted, neither, or both? 23(1)
  • Troxclair, D. (2002/2003). Articles for Reading Enrichment Activities for Children with High-Potential (R.E.A.C.H.) Column in Reading Exploration and Discovery:  Journal of the Louisiana Reading Association
  • Selecting nonfiction books for children with high potential, 22(2).
  • Creativity: Blessing or curse, 22(1).Troxclair, D. (2001/2002). Articles for Reading Enrichment Activities for Children with High-Potential (R.E.A.C.H.) Column in Reading: Exploration and Discovery: Journal of the Louisiana Reading Association, The road hardly traveled: Literacy education for highly able verbal linguistic learners. 21(3). Books dealing with perfectionism of children with high potential. 21(2), 48-53.
  • Troxclair, D. (2000). Differentiating instruction for gifted students in regular education social studies classes. Roeper Review, 22(3), 195-198.
  • Troxclair, D. (1999, December). Recognizing perfectionism in gifted children.  Parenting for High Potential, 19-21.
  • Troxclair, D., & Stephens, K. (1998). Gifted students with learning disabilities. The Journal, 15(1), 25-35.
  • Karnes, F., Troxclair, D., & Marquardt, R. (1998). Due process in gifted education. Roeper Review, 20(4), 297-301. 
  • Karnes, F., Troxclair, D., & Marquardt, R. (1998). A survey of mediation opportunities in gifted education, Gifted Child Today, 21(3), 46-47, 59.
  • Karnes, F., Troxclair, D., & Marquardt, R. (1997). The Office for Civil Rights and gifted education: An update. Roeper Review, 19(3), 162-165.
  • Karnes, F., Troxclair, D., & Marquardt, R. (1997). Parents: Know the legal aspects of gifted education.  Parenting for High Potential, March, 20-22.
  • Troxclair, D., & Karnes, F. (1997). Public relations: Now is the time for advocacy for the gifted. Gifted Child Today, 20(3), 38-41, 50. 
  • Karnes, F., Troxclair, D., & Marquardt, R. (1996). The evolving legal framework in gifted education. Understanding Our Gifted, 9(2), 3-5.
  • Troxclair, D. (1996). The Emerging role of the Office for Civil Rights in gifted education. Understanding Our Gifted, 9(2), 5-7.
  • Troxclair, D., Stephens, K., Bennett, T., & Karnes, F. (1996). Multimedia applications for secondary gifted youth. Computers in New Zealand Schools, 9(3), 15-17.
  • Troxclair, D., Stephens, K., Bennett, T., & Karnes, F. (1996). Teaching

Service

Service to Professional Organization in the Field of Gifted & Special Education

  • Currently serves as President of the Association for Gifted Students (Louisiana) 2024-2025
  • Currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Louisiana School of Math, Science, and the Arts 2024-2025
  • Currently serves on the Policy and Planning Committee for the Texas Association for the Gifted & Talented
  • Currently serves on the Publication Committee for the National Association of Gifted Children
  • Former member of the Board of Directors for the Council for Exceptional Children-The Association for the Gifted
  • Former member of the Board of Directors for the Texas Association for Gifted and Talented
  • Former member of the Editorial Board for Tempo, Journal for the Texas Association for Gifted & Talented
  • Former member of the Editorial Board for the Journal for the Education of the Gifted
  • Former member of the Editorial Board for the Teaching for High Potential (National Association for Gifted Children's journal)

Lamar University Committees

  • Undergraduate University Curriculum Committee (2017-2018)
  • College of Education & Human Development Curriculum Committee (2017-2018)
  • College of Education & Human Development Commencement Committee (2016-2017)
  • Teacher Education Department Interdisciplinary Studies Phase II Committee, Chair (2015-2018)
  • Program Coordinator for Undergraduate and Graduate Special Education programs (2017 - 2019)
  • Interim Department Chair, Teacher Education (2018 - 2019)
  • Faculty Program advisor: M.Ed. Special Education-Generalist Concentration (2019 to present)
  • Graduate Studies Council (2023-2024)
  • Member of Educational Leadership Department Tenure and Promotion Committee (2023 - present)