Anthony Mays, a 15-year education leader in middle and high schools in Dallas, Fort Worth and Pflugerville Independent School Districts, recently started his new position as senior director of Harris County Department of Education’s Schools division.

The four specialized HCDE schools he will lead serve more than 25 school districts in the Harris County area. Districts contract with HCDE as the department supplies specialized environments and low student-to-teacher ratios to educate students in grades K-12 with unique needs.

Mays moves to Houston after serving as principal at Emmett J. Conrad High School in the Dallas Independent School District. His strong instructional leadership as principal is complimented by extensive experience as a special education educator. He gained his Bachelor of Arts from Huston-Tillotson College, a Master of Education from Texas State University and is currently earning his doctorate degree from Tarleton State University.

His experience with special populations students will provide valuable guidance as HCDE opens the first public recovery high school in Harris County this school year. As a goal-oriented leader, he will use his collaboration expertise to strengthen the instructional focus at all four specialized HCDE schools and to build on momentum for community support.

“I’m also eager to work with the HCDE team on developing our recovery high school for students with challenges with addictions,” he said. “The opioid epidemic and other drug abuse among teens is a problem that HCDE is poised to impact here in Harris County.”

The Tomball resident is a member of Texas Alliance of Black School Educators, Texas Association of Secondary School Principals and is listed in Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers. He is married and has three children who attend public school.

About Harris County Department of Education: HCDE provides special education, therapy services, early education, adult education and after-school programming. Services are funded by government grants, fees and a local property tax rate of $.0052. For every dollar in local property tax collected, HCDE provides $4.40 in services to the 25 Harris County school districts. HCDE also operates four campuses for students with profound special education needs and adjudicated youth who require a low student-teacher ratio and highly structured environment. One-hundred percent of students served on HCDE campuses are at-risk. The organization is governed by an elected board of seven trustees and has 1,060 employees and 33 facilities, including 15 Head Start centers. More info at www.hcde-texas.org .