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Harris County Department of Education
Ronald W. Reagan Building, the HCDE headquarters in Northside, Houston.
Address
6300 Irvington Blvd, Houston, TX 77022 Houston, Texas , 77022 United States
Coordinates	29.8159° N, 95.3607° W
District information
Type	Common School District
Motto	Enhancing Educational Opportunities and Delivering Value-Added Services
Grades	Services for Pre-K to Adult Education
Established	1889; 135 years ago (1889)
Superintendent	James Colbert Jr.
Budget	$165,420,916
Students and staff
Students	121,374 (2021-2022) [1]
Teachers	65,000 [2]
Staff	1,038 [3]
Other information
Website	www.hcde-texas.org

Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) is located in Northside, Houston and stands as Texas' last Common School District, distinct from an independent school district. HCDE offers a range of educational services to Harris County. ^[4]

For the 2021-2022 academic year, HCDE's services encompassed:

• Adult Education for 6,467 students
• The CASE for Kids program, serving 18,430 students and educators
• Head Start program with 2,330 attendees
• Special Schools, catering to 1,154 students
• Therapy Services, benefitting 12,953 individuals
• The Center for Safe and Secure Schools, aiding 79,564 educators and students ^[5]

HCDE operates under Texas law and, as previously stated, is the state's final Common School District. ^[6] Governance of HCDE is entrusted to seven elected Harris County school trustees. These trustees serve on staggered terms, each lasting six years.

History of Common School Districts

Historically, common school districts in Texas formed the cornerstone of public education. They primarily catered to the educational needs of rural communities. ^[7] Over time, influenced by legislative modifications, these common school districts evolved into today's independent school districts. This transformation was propelled by desires to decentralize school governance, amplify local control (notably in urban locales), and balance educational opportunities across both rural and urban regions. ^[7]

Elected Trustees

Guiding HCDE in its educational pursuits is the Board of Trustees. This body is responsible for policy formulation and promotes transparency by conducting open public meetings. ^[8]

Position	Name	First Serving	Party
Position 1, Precinct 2	Amy Flores Hinojosa	2019	Democrat
Position 2, Precinct 4	Andrea Duhon	2019	Democrat
Position 3, At-Large	Richard Cantu	2019	Democrat
Position 4, Precinct 3	Eric Dick (lawyer)	2017	Republican
Position 5, At-Large	Erica Davis	2021	Democrat
Position 6, Precinct 1	Danyahel (Danny) Norris	2019	Democrat
Position 7, At-Large	David W. Brown (Houston)	2021	Democrat

The Board elects the County Superintendent to oversee the department's operations. They meet regularly on the third Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. at 6300 Irvington Boulevard, Houston, Texas. Special meetings can be convened as needed. Those wishing to speak during a meeting must register at the board room entrance, closing 10 minutes before the meeting's start. ^[8]

HCDE offers various educational services, with division presentations available online. ^[9]

Facilities

The Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) oversees several facilities across Harris County, facilitating its wide-ranging educational services.

Headquarters

The principal office for HCDE is housed in the Ronald W. Reagan Administration Building, located in the Northside district of Houston. ^{[10] [11]}

• Address: Ronald W. Reagan Building, 6300 Irvington Blvd., Houston, TX 77022
• Phone: 713-694-6300

Adult Education Center

Opened in July 2023, the Harris County Department of Education's (HCDE) Adult Education Center is located at 6515 Irvington Blvd, North Houston. ^[12] Constructed with a budget of $19 million, the center provides an array of educational services, including High School Equivalency certificates, U.S. citizenship preparation courses, English language classes, and vocational certifications in fields such as phlebotomy and nursing assistant training. The expansive facility, which spans 51,000 square feet across four floors, houses more than 20 purpose-built classrooms and labs, a versatile event space, and a dedicated community outreach area. Designed to foster learning and personal development, the center serves over 6,000 students yearly, pivotal in HCDE's commitment to adult education. ^[13]

Maintenance & Operations

HCDE's Maintenance & Operations division's responsibilities span cleaning, landscaping, repair works (including vehicles), energy conservation, security, custodial and room services, mail processing, and warehousing of supplies. ^[14]

HCDE Facilities Locations

• Academic and Behavior Schools East: 7710 Office City Drive, Houston, TX 77012
• Academic and Behavior Schools West: 12772 Medfield Dr., Houston, TX 77082
• Highpoint School East: 8003 East Sam Houston Parkway North, Houston, TX 77049
• Fortis Academy: 11902 Spears-Gears Road, Houston, TX 77067
• Adult Education - Baytown Learning Center: 101 Whiting, Baytown, TX 77520
• Warehouse and Records Management Center: 6005 Westview Dr., Houston, TX 77055
• North Post Oak Building: 6005 Westview, Houston, TX 77055

Schools

HCDE operates four special schools—Academic and Behavior Schools East and West, Highpoint School East, and Fortis Academy. These schools serve students with severe emotional or physical disabilities, troubled or adjudicated youth, and those recovering from addiction. ^[15]

Academic and Behavior Schools East: Established in 1982, ABS East serves students aged 5–22 with intellectual, developmental, and behavioral disorders, autism spectrum disorder, and other significant health impairments. The school uses data-driven behavior management strategies that include Boys Town Behavior Management and various specialized programs to teach replacement behaviors. With low student-to-teacher ratios, ABS East focuses on academics, life skills, and behavior management to equip students for independent living. ^[16]

Academic and Behavior Schools West: Founded in 1998, ABS West offers a similar curriculum to ABS East and serves students with a range of intellectual, developmental, and behavioral disorders. The school emphasizes appropriate educational tasks, meaningful support, and knowledge of socially acceptable behaviors. ^[17]

Highpoint School East: Opened in 1995, Highpoint East provides a second chance to adjudicated or expelled youth. The program focuses on teaching self-discipline and better decision-making through individualized or small-group instruction in a highly structured environment. ^[18]

Fortis Academy: Established in 2018, Fortis is Harris County's first public recovery high school. The school features a unique culinary arts program and blends coaching, counseling, and academics into a supportive learning environment. Students admitted to Fortis have completed a substance abuse or dependency rehab program and continue their education in a sober setting. The academy aims to reduce the risk of relapse and focuses on post-treatment care. ^{[15] [17]}

Enrollment in HCDE Schools: Students attending any of the HCDE special schools are referred by their home districts. Parents interested in enrolling their child should contact their respective home school district for more information. ^{[15] [16]}

Support Services

The Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) offers a plethora of support services aimed at enhancing the educational experience for both educators and students. These services range from professional development for school staff to providing resources for school safety, records management, and more. Their key objective is to foster positive impacts on students, staff, and entire districts. ^[19]

HCDE Service Divisions

Records Management

This division offers both digital and physical records management services to numerous entities. Notable clients include the City of Houston and Harris County. ^[20]

Choice Partners Cooperative

Choice Partners Cooperative grants government entities, school districts, and non-profit organizations instant access to high-quality, legal procurement and contracts. These contracts are fully compliant with governmental procurement prerequisites, ensuring these entities save both time and money. ^[21]

Center for Safe and Secure Schools

Focusing on school safety, this division steers conversations and training sessions concerning safety, security, school environment, and threat evaluation. ^[19]

Instructional Programs

The Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) is dedicated to offering a diverse range of instructional programs to cater to individuals of all ages. Approximately 30,000 students benefit from these offerings, which range from early childhood education to adult learning programs. ^[22]

HCDE’s Five Pillars

Adult Education

HCDE's Adult Education division is prominent in Texas, providing courses for students in areas like English as a Second Language (ESL), GED preparation, and workforce development programs. ^[23]

CASE for Kids

CASE for Kids provides a variety of after-school programs through educational institutions and private providers. ^[24]

CASE Debates is a distinct initiative within CASE for Kids, focusing on equipping high school students in Harris County with advanced debate training and access to elite speech and debate tournaments. ^[25] The program collaborates with local debate leagues to offer students free coaching and support. It uniquely offers both the World Schools Debate format and the more traditional Policy format.

Head Start

This program is geared towards low-income students ranging from birth to 4 years of age, ensuring they receive foundational educational support and preschool education. ^[26]

School-Based Therapy Services

Directly assisting students in the classroom setting, HCDE offers physical, occupational, and music therapy services within Harris County. ^[27]

Special Schools

Tailored to serve students with significant physical, emotional, and cognitive disabilities. ^[28]

Financial Overview

Awards and Transparency Recognition

• In 2016, the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) was honored with the Texas Comptroller Leadership Circle Platinum Award for Financial Transparency.
• The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts initiated the Texas Transparency Stars program to recognize transparent local governments. The program highlights entities that:

 * Share extensive financial data including finances, contracts, economic development, pensions, and debts.
 * Make available comprehensive financial data through varied means like documents, visual representations, and downloads.
[29]

• HCDE bagged three stars from the Comptroller's Office for its commitment to transparency.

Financial Reporting

• HCDE's fiscal year runs from September 1 to August 31.
• The HCDE website provides insights into financial details like tax-supported debt for FY 2022, SEC filings, bond ratings, and the HB 1378 Annual Debt Report. ^[30]

Financial Summary

• HCDE, a special purpose district, employs 883.10 full-time positions.
• Expenditures for 2021-2022: $114,845,976 ($24.29 per capita).
• Total revenue for 2021-2022: $96,475,066 ($20.40 per capita).
• Property tax revenue: $25,368,044 ($5.37 per capita) — Data from Houston Population Estimate.
• Projected budget for 2022-2023: $173,474,436.
• The Department categorizes funds as Proprietary, Fiduciary, and Governmental. Proprietary funds specifically cater to activities where fees are charged for services or goods. ^[31]

Debt Obligations and Commitments

• HCDE prioritizes maintaining strong bond ratings and assuring investors.
• The Department supervises the Harris County Department of Education Public Facility Corporation (PFC Capital Projects Fund).
• They boast a clean slate, never defaulting on bond payments, with interest rates ranging from 3.50% to 5.75%.
• While HCDE has no debt service rate, it upholds a maintenance tax rate of $0.01. ^[32]
• Notably, since January 2015, the PFC doesn't have a continuous disclosure obligation as per USSEC Rule 15c2-12 for its current debt. ^[32]

Controversy

In 2019, an investigation alleged that a Trustee sexually harassed a female job applicant and spread unfounded rumors about her personal life, with the board subsequently censuring him. ^[33]

See also

• List of schools in Harris County, Texas

References