Dedicating your life to public service comes easy when it’s all you’ve ever known. For more than 35 years, Trustee Dr. John McGee has worked in various state organizations, including the Legislative Budget Board, Texas Education Agency and five independent school districts. His commitment to lifelong learning and improving education resources culminates in his current role as Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) Board Trustee.
“One of my goals in life is to leave this Earth empty, having poured out my entire life to others,” McGee said. “HCDE represents my life, from Head Start to Adult Education to the students we serve. This is not my job, it’s my dream.”
McGee was unanimously selected to the Board by his fellow trustees in November 2023, fulfilling the remainder of Danny Norris’ term after he stepped down to pursue a candidacy for state office. McGee ran unopposed in the General Election and received 278,153 votes for the Position 6, Precinct 1 seat.
McGee’s dream began with a foundation set by his family. His grandparents raised him in Oklahoma, where he was enrolled in Early Head Start. His grandmother was an educator who provided students with the building blocks of education, teaching math, reading and science. After the bell rang, a young McGee would watch or help his grandfather volunteer at the local community center, aiding underserved residents access housing, childcare and provisions.
Together, they instilled in him the importance of being a servant leader and demonstrated how to carry out that mission.
Those founding principles grew stronger when McGee moved to Dallas with his mother. He witnessed her successful push for independent school districts to offer kindergarten to families. The educator turned veteran administrator was a stickler for academics throughout his upbringing and emphasized the power of lifelong learning.
McGee took the message to heart, graduating from the University of Texas with a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in finance. Nearly 20 years later, he made the decision to become an adult learner and gained his doctorate in leadership studies from Dallas Baptist University. McGee described how the mindset to continuously seek new information has changed the way he views the world and the people he aims to serve at HCDE.
“I found the key for me is that when I learn about others, I’m really learning about myself,” he said. “I found that when you invest in yourself, you can invest in those around you and put them in opportunities or at the vantage points of being in a good place. As a Trustee, I want to ensure that the staff has the resources they need to pour into the lives of Harris County individuals. There should be no limit to what we can do to ensure that reality.”