Ensuring local school districts are aware of resources available to them is vital to meeting Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) mission to serve students with unique academic and behavioral challenges. Literacy programs, modernized intervention techniques and reward-based curricula were among several topics and resources discussed at the fourth annual Special Schools Division Update.  

Held on April 10, representatives from more than a dozen area districts gathered at the Irvington Conference Center as Superintendent James Colbert Jr. boasted the Department’s impact on Harris County students with severe emotional or physical disabilities, those facing addiction and adjudicated/expelled youth.   

Attendees heard first-hand accounts of how HCDE transforms lives during a video created by the HCDE Communications and Creative Services division. The video follows students at each of the Department’s four special schools and details the resources, access to safe environments and high-quality educators found within the halls of the schools. Teachers provide insight into how they aid nonverbal or students with learning disabilities to become successful and gain independence.  

HCDE leaders also used the forum to obtain feedback from district representatives who monitor student progress annually regarding the efficacy of existing practices and programs.   

The annual update strengthens partnerships between the Department and local districts and reinforces a shared commitment to providing every student with the support needed to thrive.  

To learn more about HCDE Schools, visit hcde-texas.org/special-schools.