HCDE Timeline

1889

HCDE is formed with a board of five members, and approximately 900 students are enrolled in more than 50 common school districts. More often than not, these districts have one-room schoolhouses with one teacher to teach all grades. HCDE board members are responsible for hiring and paying teachers, establishing rules and duties for teachers, purchasing library books, and contracting for buildings and furnishings.

1900

1908: By this time, the number of students had grown to 21,761, prompting consolidation and annexation among the school districts.

1910: The term “common school district” referred to schools run by counties. The struggle to fund schools led eventually to the development of “independent” school districts (ISDs). Once a district’s student enrollment surpassed 500, that district became eligible for independent status. This meant that voters could pass a tax to raise money to support the school district’s operations.

1923: Houston ISD is formed in 1923, one of 18 school districts in Harris County.

1928: Dr. E.E. Oberholtzer serves as president of Harris County Board of Trustees.

1930

Harris County’s population reaches 210,000, and the board adds two board members for a total of seven. Dr. Oberholtzer becomes superintendent of Houston ISD with a salary of $12,000 but retains his position with HCDE.

1935: Dr. Oberholtzer goes to Austin with a group of supporters to propose legislation permitting Harris County voters to pass a one-to-five cent per $100 valuation ad valorem tax in order to fund the equalization of educational opportunity in the county. The act passes and is approved by voters. The first woman is elected to the HCDE board. Her name is Mrs. Audrey Carter of Baytown, and she serves as a board member for 40 years.

1940

HCDE administers 30 schools, 170 teachers, and 5,500 pupils in 24 common school districts.

1946: HCDE Board sponsors the Harris County Vocational School for disabled veterans.

1949: HCDE Board distributes commodities for lunchrooms.

1950

1954: On May 17, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that separating children in public schools on the basis of race is unconstitutional. Schools will be integrated.

1955: On May 31, the Supreme Court instructs the states to begin desegregation plans “with all deliberate speed.”

1955: By August 18, approximately 28 Texas schools had announced plans for complete or partial integration. The process varied widely. Some districts integrated one grade per year, while others allowed students to choose which high school they would like to attend.

1957: More than 100 Texas school districts have made some progress toward desegregation. HCDE employees join Social Security.

1959: Move to Civil Court Building.

1960

1960-1980: Due to significant changes in teaching and instruction, the HCDE Board of Trustees begins to develop new programs designed to better equip classroom teachers. This results in new in-service programs, workshops, vocational training courses, and other services, particularly for smaller districts.

1961: HCDE establishes a department for testing special education students and employs a psychologist.

1962-1963: HCDE adds a vocational shop program for auto mechanics and building trades; begins co-op purchasing; employs four speech therapists, two cosmologists, and other resource personnel. Approves purchase of property at Lindale and Irvington for office building.

1964: The Elementary and Secondary Act of 1964 passes, creating many federal projects, including Adult Education, Manpower, and Neighborhood Youth Corps, Title I, Title III, and other grants. During the 1960s, HCDE adds a new department with eight counselors to serve special education students, as well as a film library. The film library was consequently sold to Region IV in 1969.

1965-1966: HCDE budget reaches $391,104.

1967: 6208 Irvington leased for Title III staff and the Harris County Center for Improvement of Instruction. HCDE agrees to house Region IV ESC and act as its fiscal agent. HCDE agrees to administer countywide adult basic education.

1968-1969: HCDE budget is $693,650.

1970

In November, HCDE trustees announce an unprecedented number of instructional workshops will take place through the end of the year. They also note enlarged and upgraded psychological services. Printing Services moves to 6220 Irvington Boulevard and is furnished with all new equipment.

1972: HCDE is reorganized, and four separate divisions are created, each with its own director.

1973-1974: HCDE budget is $820,376. HCDE fights and prevails to continue county offices supported by local taxes. Begins adult education for the blind.

1974-1975: The HCDE budget is $1,193,807. Receives Environmental Education grant.

1975-1976: HCDE budget is $1,368,165. 

1976: The Gifted and Talented Program is implemented.

1977-1978: HCDE budget is $1,668,403. George W. Crowson appointed superintendent of HCDE upon the retirement of Carroll Teague. As the result of federal law PL94-142 (Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975), Psychological Services division begins hiring and grows to become HCDE’s largest direct service provider.

1978-1979: With a total budget of $3,122,000, HCDE serves 6,500 students.

1979-1980: With a total budget of $3,957,301, HCDE serves 7,100 students. Auto mechanics and vocational office education co-ops are phased out. First administrative retreat takes place at Camp Allen in 1980.

1980

1980-1981: HCDE budget is $4,278.529. The administrative wing of 6515 Irvington is completed. Staff development served 14,198 teachers. Adaptive Behavior Center for Severely Emotionally Disturbed established in 1981. Publish Texas Crimes and Punishment in cooperation with the district attorney.

1983-1984: The HCDE budget is $6,966,663. Printing Services completes 14 years of service. ABC East opens in 1983. The department begins building a cash reserve to fund the proposed building at 6300 Irvington.

1984-1985: The HCDE budget is $7,963,488.

1985-1986: HCDE acquires the property at 6300 Irvington to build a new administration building. Adult and Continuing Education (ACE) moves to 205 Crosstimbers, where it serves 9,163 students with a budget of $414,745.

1986-1987: The HCDE budget is $10,600,886. ACE serves 11,301 students with a budget of $2,951,000. ABC West opens in 1987.

1987-1988: A 70,000 square-foot building is designed for 6300 Irvington. The HCDE budget it $11,862,768. ABC West and San Jacinto Alternative School opens in the fall. An amnesty program increases the Adult Education budget to $1.9 million and serves 3,000 students.

1988: Writing Institutes begin.

1989-1990: The centennial year sees completion of the 70,000 square-foot HCDE Administration Building at 6300 Irvington named for Ronald W. Reagan, which took seven years to plan and complete. The HCDE budget is $15 million. Some 35,000 educators are being served who in turn serve 600,000 students. ACE moves to 6515 Irvington, and enrollment in the ACE program to fight literacy grows to 9,000 students.

1990

1990-91: Budget is $15.2 million. County Education Districts is created and housed at HCDE. Records Management Co-op created. New Teacher Institutes begin in staff development. ACE’s budget is $1.9 million. Psych Services serves 3,000 students and Therapy Services provides 10,000 days of service with a $1.7 million budget.

1991-92: Number of HCDE employees reaches 213 full-time, with the first personnel director employed. Strategic planning begins.  

1992-93: The Education Foundation of Harris County is formed to support Harris County students and educators and begins operating in 1994. HCDE establishes a Superintendents’ Institute that includes the top educational leaders of the 24 school districts in Harris County for the purposed of sharing expertise and training. ACE wins outstanding Adult Education and Literacy Award for the Southwest Region from the U.S. Secretary of Education. Food Service Co-op is formed.

1993-94: HCDE budget reaches $4.9 million. Special Education Division founded. Highpoint-E opens in Sept. 1993. The Education Foundation begins operations in 1994.

1995-1996: HCDE budget is $20 million. Direct services were provided for 30,023 students, including therapy, psychological assessment, and adult education. A major project is a Client Services Survey to assess needs and service satisfaction, which indicated an overwhelming satisfaction with both the quality and economy of HCDE services. A building at 600 Crosstimbers in Houston is purchased for a Records Management Center. An Office of Technology is created. Highpoint Middle School opens and completes the year with 195 students. School districts save almost $8 million by contracting with HCDE for special education services. Therapy Services provides 14,000 days of service. Adult Education expands its services through the addition of four new initiatives, bringing the total to 10 projects, and enrollment grows by 19.1 percent. School districts save almost $144,000 by using HCDE’s Printing Services, an increase of 44 percent over last school year (HCDE Annual Report 1995-96).

1996-1997: Highpoint North opens. HCDE saves partner ISDs $12.4 million. Lutheran High School is purchased for ABC East.

1997-1998: HCDE saves Harris County school districts approximately $25 million during the school year. Improving student performance on the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) is a key focus, which includes training teachers, hosting reading and writing institutes for students, and customizing mathematics training. Highpoint Alternative Schools offers approximately 590 at-risk students in grades 6-12 a second chance to succeed. Adult Education serves more than 13,000 students. Several thousand special-needs children and infants are served by some 200 HCDE staff members.

1999: In September 1998, HCDE is selected as replacement grantee for Harris County Head Start Area I with $5.2 million in funding to serve some 1,000 children and families in East Harris County. Head Start is a comprehensive child-development program serving children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families. Full operations began Jan. 1, 1999, with 200 new HCDE employees (HCDE 1998 Annual Report).

2000

2010

2014: The first issue of The Connector is published on Dec. 1, 2014, a weekly publication of HCDE for the HCDE Board of Trustees.

2018: HCDE budget is $114,521,059.

2019: HCDE’s budget grows to $117,335,372 as the organization serves 2, 500 entities, 154,000 students, 47,000 educators and 8,900 support clients. These combine for an overall total of support for 210,000 individuals. Fortis Academy opens as the first public recovery high school dedicated to supporting students facing substance abuse addiction. Therapy Services provides 53% of all school-based therapy services in Harris County. HCDE is also named a Top Houston Workplace for the first time.

2020

HCDE budget is $128,418,154 to support services to nearly 135,000 students, 41,000 educators, and 8,700 support clients. The Department shuts down for six months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, providing services virtually to districts, students, and educators. A new Academic and Behavior School West opens at the beginning of the 2020/2021 school year, boasting features specifically designed to support students with multiple disabilities, including a calming color palette, rounded corners, a sensory room, and an inclusive playground. HCDE is named a Top Houston Workplace for the second year in a row.

2021: Total budget is $174,490,972, growing to account for a historic capital improvement program. This $50 million program funded with bonds and maintenance notes calls for two new schools, a new Adult Education Learning Center, and renovation of the main Irvington offices. HCDE serves nearly 60,000 students, more than 32,000 educators, and more than 7,200 support clients throughout Harris County and the greater Houston region. In all, the Department supports nearly 100,000 individuals. Therapy Services provides 54% of all school-based therapy in Harris County. HCDE is named a Top Houston Workplace for the third time.

2022: HCDE’s total budget is $154,234,536 which helps the organization to serve nearly 3,000 different entities, 105,000 students, 27,000 educators, and 8,700 support clients. Combined, this results in support for 140,000 individuals. The Teaching and Learning Center (TLC) and Educator Certification and Advancement (ECA) combine to create the new Center for Educator Success, a division dedicated to supporting districts with recruiting, training, and retaining teachers. CES focuses on teacher certification, test preparation, and support during a teacher’s first few years in the classroom.

2023: Total budget is $173,474,436 which is used to serve more than 250,000 students, 33,000 educators, and 6,500 support clients. In all, the Department supports more than 3,300 entities and nearly 300,000 individuals through a $165 million annual budget. A new Academic and Behavior School East opens in summer 2023, patterned after the new AB West along with a new Highpoint Middle School and a $19 million new Adult Education Learning Center on Irvington Blvd. Therapy Services provides 55% of all school-based therapy in Harris County.