Dr. Fanon John Howell is a sociologist, educator, and program leader focused on urban education, educational technology, institutional change, and educational equity.
He holds a B.A. from Morehouse College, an M.A. from NYU, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in sociology from The New School for Social Research where his doctoral research examined governance and assessment culture in the NYC Department of Education. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Teachers College, Columbia University, and has taught at Sarah Lawrence College, Teachers College, The New School, Pratt Institute, and CUNY Hostos Community College.
His scholarship examines how educational institutions respond to accountability, restructuring, and technological change, with attention to how institutional practices shape educational opportunity and equity. His work appears in The Urban Review and Max Weber Matters: Interweaving Past and Present.
Before joining SLU, Dr. Howell spent over two decades in K–12 education, educational technology, and philanthropy, directing a multi-state initiative serving 40,000+ students across 200+ Title I schools, and earlier leading curriculum assessment and professional development at the NYC Department of Education. He has served on boards of the American Institute for Foreign Study, Mott Haven Academy Charter School, and Renaissance Learning Inc.
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