UT High School students and families gather with Dr. Horton (right) at the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.

"Every Student Can Learn": A Conversation with Principal Darnell Horton

Since July 2022, Dr. Darnell Horton has led The University of Texas High School, bringing with him more than two decades of experience across California and Texas classrooms and campuses. Horton is an enthusiastic educator, a great communicator, and always available for his staff and students. We discussed his path into education, his philosophy, and the moments that have shaped his career.

You've had quite a journey to Austin. Where did it begin?

I grew up in Southern California, in Carson. For college, I went across the country to Framingham State University in Framingham, Massachusetts, a midsize city tucked between Boston and Worcester. 

Education wasn't your first plan. How did you find your way into it?

Not at all. After I graduated, I honestly wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I looked seriously at both law and psychology, but neither one clicked. What changed everything was the family living across the street from us. They were lifelong educators—the mother was a teacher, the father was a principal, and their daughter taught as well. They kept encouraging me to give teaching a chance. Their influence is really what inspired me to go back to school and earn my certification. Before all that, I'd worked in some very different roles, including at the California Yacht Club in Marina del Rey and as a rate analyst for Aetna. Those experiences shaped me, but education is where I found my fit.

Where did your teaching career take you?

I started as a seventh-grade social studies teacher at Bud Carson Middle School in Hawthorne. Funny enough, before my official start date, they asked me to cover a first-grade class as a long-term sub for over a month. Eventually I moved into teaching computer classes there. After five years, I went to Culver City High School, right in the heart of the film industry—the campus was actually used for the classroom scenes in the 1997 film “Gattaca”. After nine years in the Los Angeles area, my wife and I decided we wanted a different pace of life and moved to Austin.

And that led to working in administration?

It did, though not immediately. Here in Texas, I substituted in Round Rock ISD, then joined the UT Charter School System at Meridell Achievement Center. From there I moved to Austin ISD's Office of Bilingual/ESL, which was really my first leadership role and my path into administration. I served as assistant principal at Travis High School, Bedichek Middle School, Del Valle High School, and Lake Travis High School, where I spent eight years helping lead the ninth-grade annex. While at Lake Travis High School, I began my doctorate in Educational Leadership from Concordia University. Then in 2022, I came to UTHS. 

What's the best part about being at UTHS?

The collaborative culture, without question. No single person has all the answers here, and our team genuinely works together to solve problems and keep improving things for students. I also love that we're helping redefine what education can look like. We're pioneers in online learning, a team that is shaping the future of education and that is exciting.

How would you describe your educational philosophy?

It's simple: every student can learn, and we should never give up on them. I see myself as a facilitator—someone who inspires curiosity, fosters collaboration, and helps students discover their potential. Because every student learns differently, I've always tried to stay flexible, using real-world applications, collaborative projects, and meaningful discussions to help students connect with the material.

Any moments from your career that have stuck with you?

One really has. Years after my first year in teaching, a former student found me on Facebook and told me I'd made a difference in his life. What made it so meaningful is that I'd considered that first year a struggle—I had real classroom management challenges and often felt like I was failing. His message reminded me that educators don't always see their impact in the moment. Sometimes it becomes clear years later.

Outside of school, what do you enjoy?

I love traveling and making travel videos. My wife and I started producing travel programs in the early 2000s that aired on public access stations across Southern California—at one point broadcasting from Hollywood down to Orange County. We've filmed everywhere from Fiji and Australia to the Amazon, capturing everything from the Great Barrier Reef to the Cape Cod Potato Chip Factory. We even climbed the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Travel lets me experience new cultures and keep learning about the world, which fits perfectly with my passion for education.

We hear congratulations are in order for your family, too.

Yes! Our daughter recently graduated from Texas A&M and is heading back for her master's in Biological and Agricultural Engineering. We couldn't be prouder.