Dr. Cathy Sewell is the Deputy Executive Director for Instructional Services at ESC Region 11. In her previous role with Duncanville ISD, she supervised the overall division for teaching and learning, professional development, federal and state programs, advanced academics, career technical education, college/career readiness, early childhood, special student programs, and school improvement support. Prior to that, she worked as the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction and as the Chief of Secondary Education for Everman ISD. She has also been a director, principal, and assistant principal at the secondary level.  

Dr. Sewell earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Baylor University in 1989. In 1996, she was awarded a Master of Education degree in Educational Administration from Texas Christian University, where she completed her principal certification. She earned her terminal degree, Doctorate in Education, in 2019 in the field of Educational Leadership at Texas Christian University. Dr. Sewell was one of eight recipients of the endowed scholarship for the inaugural doctoral cohort in the College of Education at TCU. Moreover, she received the TCU College of Education Excellence in Education Award, she was honored with the Fort Worth SafeHaven Award for Educational Leadership, and was honored as the namesake of the Everman Education Foundation's Sewell Grant for Teaching Excellence to provide funding for innovation in classroom instruction.  

Some notable highlights for Dr. Sewell include: 

• Improved the Duncanville ISD's 2019 academic accountability rating in one year from a district score of 73 to an improved district score of 84 
• Enhanced the district's 2019 ratings to be the highest in the "Best Southwest" Dallas corridor 
• Showed double-digit academic gains in the Duncanville ISD assigned "Improvement Required" elementary schools  
• Led Everman ISD, a high-poverty (90%) and diverse school district, to earn TEA Academic Distinction Designations in six of nine campuses in 2015, 2016, and 2017; seven of nine in 2014 
• Supported Everman High School to create the inaugural Early College High School program in 2014 and to be recognized in 2017 with the "Best High School" Bronze Award in US News & World Report 
• Initiated the AVID College Readiness Design at EISD secondary schools, leading to the 2017 award of AVID National Site of Distinction at Baxter Junior High 

To contact Dr. Sewell's Executive Assistant, please email  Laurie Rader or call 817-740-7623.