LED lighting contract awarded in February for access through HCDE Choice Partners Supply catalog and LED lighting contracts were awarded at the February 2016 board meeting of Harris County Department of Education and are accessible through HCDE Choice Partners cooperative. Governmental entities that have signed an interlocal contract with HCDE may access these legally procured contracts. Indoor/Outdoor LED Lighting was ...

Contracts awarded for educational / instructional software New contracts for educational / instructional software and event rentals were awarded at the December 2015 board meeting of Harris County Department of Education and are accessible through HCDE Choice Partners cooperative. Governmental entities that have signed an interlocal contract with HCDE may access these legally procured contracts. Newly awarded contracts include Educational and Instructional Software ...

New contracts for commodity processing of USDA foods were awarded at the May 2016 board meeting of Harris County Department of Education and are accessible through HCDE Choice Partners cooperative. Governmental entities that have signed an interlocal contract with HCDE may access these legally procured contracts. The newly awarded contracts are effective July 1 and include Commodity Processing of USDA Foods: AdvancePierre ...

After fiery exchanges and confusion dominated a special meeting Monday by the Harris County Department of Education’s board trustees voted to update the composition of an ancillary board charged with issuing bonds and overseeing construction projects for Texas’ last remaining county department of education. Board members overseeing the department’s Public Facilities Corporation will largely ...

Cooperative contracts were renewed for access through the HCDE Choice Partners cooperative following the October 2014 board meeting of Harris County Department of Education. Governmental entities that have signed an interlocal contract with HCDE may access these legally procured contracts.

Attention!  New contracts for parking lot and street cleaning, as well as motor and alternative fuels were awarded at the December 2014 board meeting of Harris County Department of Education and are accessible through HCDE Choice Partners cooperative. Governmental entities that have signed an interlocal contract with HCDE may access these legally procured contracts.Newly awarded contracts include Parking ...

HCDE has operated in relative obscurity for decades, fighting off lawmakers’ occasional efforts to eliminate it by bankrolling lobbyists and political consultants. Advocates for the agency say it provides indispensable support services to the 25 independent school districts in Harris County. But a prominent Senate Republican is leading a push for a state-led Sunset Advisory Commission Review of HCDE, ...

Harris County Department of Education board of trustees voted to approve the proposed “effective tax rate” for fiscal year 2014-2015, a move resulting in a tax decrease for Harris County homeowners. The newly adopted rate of 0.0059999 per $100 assessed property value is a decrease of 5.6 percent from the 2013-2014 rate of 0.006358. A homeowner will pay $10 to HCDE based on ...

Bullying prevention and gang awareness workshop set for Nov. 21 at HCDE through Center for Safe and Secure Schools Bullying Prevention and Gang Awareness, a workshop presented by bullying expert Fabian Ramirez and gang expert Samuel Cerda, is being held Nov. 21 from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Harris County Department of Education, 6300 Irvington. The workshop is being held during the ...

A Houston-area legislator has filed two bills targeting the Harris County Department of Education, renewing his assault on the agency that provides special education therapy services to hundreds of students. State Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Republican whose district covers much of northwest Harris County, said he was upset that the HCDE board last week rejected a proposed “sunset review&...

I’m just flabbergasted. Six trustees of the Harris County Department of Education’s board have voted to accept an investigation alleging fellow Trustee Michael Wolfe sexually harassed a female job candidate and spread rumors about her sex life after she twice refused to go on a date with him. The report, compiled by Dallas-based labor lawyer Harry ...

Homework is assigned to children for both practice and in preparation for the school day. Harris County Department of Education curriculum specialist Lisa Felske provides some homework points of reference for the 2014-2015 school year. Foremost, Felske says it’s important for parents to keep up with their child’s homework progress.

The Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees voted at its October 21 meeting to name James Colbert, Jr. as the lone finalist for superintendent of Harris County Department of Education. Mr. Colbert is currently the Superintendent of West Orange-Cove CISD, where he has served since 2010. Mr. Colbert previously served as assistant superintendent of Hamilton County Department of Education in ...

The recently confirmed Superintendent of the Harris County Department of Education has decided to make his new home in Kingwood. James Colbert, Jr., a native of Washington D.C., was confirmed Nov. 12 as the new superintendent Harris County Department of Education.

Ecomet Burley is the new director for the Center for Safe and Secure Schools, a division of Harris County Department of Education. The Center was established in 1999 at the request of area school superintendents to provide school safety and security training for school districts in greater Harris County.Burley has 26 years of experience in school administration. He is the former, ...

Jonathan Parker, a resident of Humble, is the new assistant superintendent at Harris County Department of Education. Parker will oversee the divisions of Head Start, Therapy Services and Special Schools. Parker is a 21-year educator and formerly served as principal of Dallas Independent School District’s Benjamin Franklin Middle School. He worked in Dallas ISD as administrator and teacher ...

Later this summer, state auditors are expected to release their final report on the Harris County Department of Education. They’ve been examining the agency since last December. Superintendent James Colbert told lawmakers about it at a hearing in April

Houston Independent School District “Secondary Teacher of the Year” Vladimir Lopez earned his title of distinction in the largest school district in Texas less than five years after entering the field of education. The science, technology, engineering and math teacher believes the equation to becoming a good teacher is to believe in the power of education to change ...

Teachers throughout Harris County gained a better understanding of the chemical manufacturing industry and area chemical plants through a summer workshop from July 18-22 hosted by Harris County Department of Education and sponsored by the Texas Chemical Council. In turn, area middle and high schools benefit by learning how science applies to the workplace. 

Pre-teen Alyssa Perez, a bordering-on-shy, sixth grader who likes to play chess, discovered her voice in the Kindness Academy at Navarro Middle School in Lamar Consolidated Independent School District. Her principal Stephanie McElroy believes what kids have to say is important, and staff listens in order to help build a positive school community. Introduced to the school last year, the ...

Within an hour and 37 minutes of his first meeting as a trustee on the Harris County Department of Education’s board of trustees, Josh Flynn had a new role: President. The former Harris County Republican Party treasurer and local accountant, who ran on a platform of bringing more transparency and accountability to Texas’ last remaining county education department, ...

Most school board meetings open with a celebrations moment that honors the successes of students and faculty. At the February meeting of the Dayton ISD school board, however, it was the board and administration that was honored for their participation and accomplishments. Board President Thomas Payne and Assistant Superintendent of Support Services Hector Herrera were presented some small gifts and ...

Harris County Department of Education’s board voted to censure Trustee Michael Wolfe over sexual harassment allegations hours after a state district judge denied his request for a temporary restraining order. Trustees on Wednesday voted 4-2, with Trustee Don Sumners abstaining, to issue the formal reprimand. Trustee George Moore broke with others in the board’s new majority, ...

James Colbert, Jr. was officially named the new county school superintendent for Harris County Department of Education by the HCDE Board of Trustees on Nov. 12. The board approved Colbert’s nomination as the lone finalist for the position of county school superintendent for the largest county in the state. HCDE provides services to school districts in greater Harris ...

After fiery exchanges and confusion dominated a special meeting Monday by the Harris County Department of Education's board  trustees voted to update the composition of an ancillary board charged with issuing bonds and overseeing construction projects for Texas' last remaining county department of education.  Board members overseeing the department's Public Facilities Corporation will largely remain the ...

The Harris County Department of Education will soon move forward on three capital improvement projects to replace and renovate aged facilities. The HCDE offers various alternative education programs, including adult education, head start centers for early childhood development, after-school programs, and educator certification and advancement. The $36.1 million improvements include a new adult education facility, a new middle school and interior ...

James Colbert, Jr. was officially named the new county school superintendent for Harris County Department of Education by the HCDE Board of Trustees on Nov. 12. The board approved Colbert’s nomination as the lone finalist for the position of county school superintendent for the largest county in the state.

A Houston ISD debate program will expand to serve an additional 300 at-risk high school students from five local school districts after the Harris County Department of Education approved a new partnership with the sponsoring group. The Houston Urban Debate League will now offer programs through HCDE's Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment for Kids (...

Dayton ISD received a special presentation from the Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) during the last school board meeting in February. Gayla Rawlinson-Maynard, director of the Center for Grants Development, presented to Thomas Payne, president of Dayton ISD Board of Trustees, and Mr. Hector Herrera, assistant superintendent of Support Services.

A state district judge on Wednesday denied Harris County Department of Education Trustee Michael Wolfe’s request for a temporary restraining order to keep his fellow trustees from voting to censure him over sexual harassment claims. In denying Wolfe’s petition, Civil Court Judge Steven Kirkland said he was reluctant to get involved in a “political squabble&...