Up through the mid-1800s, school facilities in Texas usually were provided by the fraternal order of Masons. In 1836, the Texas Declaration of Independence specifically noted the lack of a public education system as one compelling reason for establishing a separate republic. According to the Texas State Historical Association, Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar requested that Congress establish and endow an education system. Congress passed bills in 1839 and 1840 that granted 17,712 acres to each county for the support of schools, and Lamar is known as the “Father of Education” in Texas. Texas was annexed to the U.S. in 1845, and in 1854, the foundation for the present Texas school system was laid with a school law that called for the organization of common schools and set aside $2 million as a school fund. The 1855 census counted 1,449 students ages 6-16 in Harris County.

By November 1856, Harris County had funded schooling for indigent children, and two years later, the county used public funds for teacher examinations. In 1866, the Texas Constitution authorized the formation of a Board of School Examiners for each county. The Constitution of 1869 set compulsory school attendance at four months a year. In 1871 Governor Edmund J. Davis signed a bill initiating a public school system in the state. Its measures included the establishment of a state board of education consisting of the governor, attorney general, and superintendent of public education. 

Around 1876, the first free public schools were opened in Harris County, and in 1887, the state created the Office of the State Superintendent of Schools, allowing each county to establish the Office of County Superintendent.

The 1887-1889 census reports the school population ethnicities of Harris County: African American, Chinese, English, German, French, Danish, Hebrew, Irish, Italian, Mexican, Spanish, Swedish, Norwegian, Polish, Russian, Scottish, and “all others.”

In 1889, the county created the Harris County Department of Education, and a new concept for administering free public schools was established. All Harris County schools became part of its jurisdiction. B.L. James was the first county superintendent, and with a board of five members, he oversaw more than 50 common school districts serving approximately 900 students. Some of these early one-room schoolhouses with one teacher were Sikes, Farmer, Hohl, Berry, and Houston Heights. The term “common school district” in use during these years referred to schools run by counties. During the first decade of this century, the struggle to fund schools led to the development of “independent” school districts. Once a district’s scholastic enrollment surpassed 500, the district became eligible for independent status, and residents could vote to pass a tax which would raise money to support the school district’s operation. By 1908, the number of students in Harris County had grown to more than 21,700.

In 1911, the Office of County School Trustee was established with a board made up of one trustee from each of the four commissioner precincts and an at-large chairman. Trustees were charged with hearing appeals from the HCDE superintendent and dividing the common school fund among districts according to the student population.

After World War I and during the 1920s , there was a steady increase in population, and more schools were needed. The HCDE Board met three or four times a month to serve 17 school districts. Houston ISD was established in 1923 after the Texas Legislature voted to separate the city’s schools from the municipal government. 

In 1928, a fire destroyed many documents located at the administrative offices on Elder Street, and consequently, there is some lack of continuity.

In 1930, as the population of Harris County grew to 210,000,the HCDE Board of Trustees grew from five to seven. In 1935, an equalization tax of $.01 per $100 evaluation for local property was passed “to be expended in the equalization of educational opportunities and in the advancement and administration of the public free schools,” according to Superintendent E.E. Oberholtzer. As schools began to consolidate and become independent school districts, delegations appeared before the HCDE board requesting funding for building construction, equipment, and to pay off debts. By 1940 there were 19 ISDs and six rural schools. 

The objective of providing equalization of educational opportunity remained HCDE’s primary mission throughout the 1940s. This task acquired another dimension in the 1950s when the courts ruled that there would no longer be separate schools for White and Black students.

As the Texas school district system changed, the services of the Harris County Department of Education evolved. During the 1960s and 1970s, new programs to better equip classroom teachers were developed. These initiatives resulted in new in-service programs, workshops, vocational training courses, and other services that most likely were not available at individual schools.

In 1970 in United States v. Texas a federal judge called for the integration of all Texas schools. Previous federal investigations had uncovered discriminatory practices in some Texas public school districts. The changing of school-district boundaries, reassessment of extracurricular activities, and increased busing of students to other schools were among some of the measures taken to enforce integration. 

In 1973 the state legislature enacted the Bilingual Education and Training Act, which mandated bilingual instruction for all Texas elementary public schools that had 20 or more children with limited English-speaking skills. 

In 1978, the Legislature abolished state funding for county school trustees, and by 2003 only two such entities were fully functioning: one in Harris County and on in Dallas County, both serving as non-profit support organizations. Today, the Harris County Department of Education is the last county office of education in the state of Texas. 

In 1981, HCDE published the second edition of “Texas Crimes and Punishment” (the first one was published in 1975) in cooperation with John B. Holmes, Jr., the district attorney for Harris County. Written for the secondary students of Harris County, the 32-page booklet was designed to familiarize students with Texas criminal law and the criminal justice system that administers these laws. 

Also in 1981, a board election was held, having been mandated by the federal courts. Three Libertarians were elected to the Board with the stated purpose of eliminating HCDE. H.B. 1020 passed by the Texas Legislature ordered that HCDE School Trustee elections be held in conjunction with the general elections in November 1984.

In 1989, HCDE produced “The First 100 Years,” a publication celebrating 100 years of service to the educational community of Harris County and the dedication of a new 70,000 square-foot HCDE building at 6300 Irvington Boulevard in Houston. During the years prior to the move to the new building, HCDE was housed in a number of locations around Houston. The first was the old Harris County Courthouse, followed by the Civil Court Building and an office on Elder Street, where a fire later destroyed many early records. HCDE was also located at a former residence at 901 Kipling near the west side of downtown, in its own building at 6515 Irvington, and finally the new facility on Houston’s Northside. Between 1978 and 1984, HCDE purchased property on Reid Street and Irvington Blvd.

In 1994, the Education Foundation of Harris County (EFHC) was founded to create opportunities for all children in Harris County. It initially focused on improving math and science education to prepare students for the 21st century; providing arts and cultural experiences that support creativity, problem-solving, and communication skills; supporting after-school programs that ensure student safety and expand academic and social skills; and sponsoring programs that promote informed community participation in public education. EFHC was a critical component in the start of the nationally renowned CASE Debates program, a speech and debate initiative in partnership with the Houston Urban Debate League. EFHC also supports funding for CASE’s yearly All Earth Ecobot Challenge, a robotics tournament for students in local middle and high schools. In 2021, EFHC expanded its reach to provide funding in the form of grants for projects in local schools as well as an annual teacher supply drive. 

In 2006, HCDE was recognized by the Texas Historical Commission with an official Texas historical marker for its role in Texas history since 1889. 

In 2019, HCDE opened the first public recovery high school with Fortis Academy, a school dedicated to supporting students facing substance abuse challenges. Fortis is housed in the former Highpoint School North, which closed in 2017, and features a state-of-the-art commercial kitchen as part of its renowned Culinary Arts program as well as an outdoor learning space.

In 2020, HCDE opened a new Academic and Behavior School West, which was designed specifically for students with special needs. This new campus boasts several unique features customized for its student population, including a sensory room for behavior management and an inclusive playground that accommodates students with physical disabilities. 

In 2023, a new Academic and Behavior School East opened with the same unique features as AB West. That same year a new Highpoint Middle School opened along with a $19 million building on Irvington Boulevard dedicated HCDE’s Adult Education program. With this new facility, HCDE’s program is not only the oldest Adult Education program in Texas but is considered to be one of the largest.

Today, HCDE supports the education of an average of 180,000 students and educators each year. The Department’s budget is currently more than $160 million, which includes support for the five primary instructional programs (Special Schools, CASE afterschool programs, Adult Education, Head Start, and Therapy Services), capital programs, and debt service, as well as four divisions that provide educational support services to client districts (teacher certification, school safety, records management, and the national purchasing cooperative) and nine internal support divisions (administration, technology, communications, marketing, human resources, business services, research and evaluation, grants, and purchasing).

Roughly 20% of HCDE’s revenue comes from property taxes, with fees-for-service producing 19%, grants bringing in 25%, and Choice Partners’ purchasing cooperative generating approximately 5% of all revenues. HCDE leverages these revenue sources to provide $5 of services for every $1 of property taxes.

Each year, HCDE saves local districts more than $100 million through shared services. This includes urban, suburban, and rural school districts in an area of roughly 1,788 square miles. HCDE also serves neighboring school districts, education service centers, and other governmental agencies statewide, all with the mission of supporting education in the region, finding the “blind spots” in public education, and providing services to fill those gaps.