The Harris County Department of Education is a public entity dedicated to helping meet the needs of uniquely challenged learners and school staff in the state’s largest county through innovative programming and support services. HCDE directly serves approximately 30,000 students with four alternative campuses, therapy services provided in local schools, 13 Head Start centers for early childhood education, after-school programming in dozens of community and school settings and the oldest adult education program in Texas.
HCDE also supports educators and school staff with physical and emotional school safety and emergency preparedness training as well as alternative certification for teachers. The department provides valuable operational support to districts and public agencies in Harris County in the form of an advanced records management system, facilities planning and purchasing power through the Choice Partners program.
These services are supported by a property tax that is less than ½ cent (less than $10 annually for the average Harris County homeowner) as well as a revenue-generating model for some divisions. Approximately 84% of HCDE’s budget comes from federal and local grants or fees-for-services from client districts. The remaining 16% is generated by the small property tax which HCDE leverages to save school districts millions of dollars each year while affording districts the opportunity to keep money in the classroom and preserve their own tax rate. HCDE has lowered its tax rate for the last decade, providing exceptional value to Harris County taxpayers.
