Teachers across Harris County strive daily to create inspiring learning environments filled with engaging activities, social-emotional development and the necessary supplies to succeed. Thanks to the Tools for Teachers program, Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) and the Education Foundation of Harris County (EFHC) play a small role in contributing to students’ success.
“I’ve been working in education for 30 years, and there have been many times that I’ve spent $400-$1,000 out of pocket purchasing materials or supplies for my classroom,” said Judy Beavin, a mathematics teacher from Humble Independent School District. “I’m grateful that there are people and organizations out there that support educators financially.”
Beavin was among 2,000 eligible educators who received a free $100 credit to purchase school supplies in mid-September. EFHC provides a total of $200,000 for the Tools for Teachers program, which the HCDE Board of Education allocates from its annual budget, to mitigate the personal costs ISD personnel incur at the beginning of the school year.
EFHC utilized Choice Partners vendor Challenge Office Supplies to fulfill supply orders throughout October. Teachers across Harris County’s 25 school districts received shipments of notebooks, pens, paper, scissors, interactive games, learning décor and more.
Beavin qualified for the credit on her first try and is now showing Humble ISD students how to conquer equations and graphs with a colorful demonstration.
“I bought new colored pencils for my students to graph their systems in different colors so they can easily identify the equations,” Beavin smiled. “I also purchased some erasable pens because some students prefer to write in pen which can become quite messy in a math class.”
Across the city in Aldine ISD, Mayra Garcia set the foundation for learning in her bilingual Pre-Kindergarten classroom. The veteran educator heard about the Tools for Teachers program from a parent and has applied yearly ever since. The 2024-2025 academic year is her second time receiving the credit, and she described how the Foundation helped her students gain independence.
“I bought some deli sheets to help ease the process of snack time by having students place their meal on top,” Garcia detailed. “It created a routine for my kids that prevents us from losing as much instructional time. Students can independently prepare their snacks and easily clean up after themselves. It also creates a clean area, rather than placing food directly on their tables that carry germs.”
As a product of the Aldine school system, Garcia has seen firsthand the bullying that’s ensued or academic slide that happens when students don’t have the tools they need to succeed. She used the $100 credit to also purchase lamination kits that sustain classroom activities and writing utensils for underserved students.
“I came back to teach in Aldine to be able to give back to my community, but it’s incredibly validating to know that we have supporters like EFHC and HCDE who know the real struggles that educators have in this profession,” she said. “It shows educators that we are appreciated and recognized during all the challenges we face. Thank you for all your support!”
For more information about this program, visit www.hcde-texas.org/ToolsForTeachers.