The Harris County Department of Education Board of Trustees voted to lower the tax rate for the 12th consecutive year at its regular October meeting. The Board adopted the recommended rate of $0.004798 per $100 of taxable property value for the 2025-2026 fiscal year, a slight decrease from the current $0.004799 tax rate.

Since 2013, HCDE has lowered its tax rate by 31% for a savings of $4.55 for residents with a $250,000 home, on average.

“HCDE continues to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars for Harris County residents and our business model has allowed us to reduce the tax rate while maximizing services,” HCDE Superintendent James Colbert Jr. said. “This is a demonstration of our dedication to serve at-risk populations and results in a win for students, educators, stakeholders and the HCDE community.” 

For a home with an assessed value of $250,000 with a homestead exemption, the adopted rate of $0.004798 means the average Harris County homeowner will pay HCDE less than $12 per year in property taxes for education services. An individual’s taxes may still rise if the value of his or her property increases. 

Annually, HCDE proposes a tax rate when approving the coming year’s budget each spring. The tax rate is approved in the fall, after the Harris Central Appraisal District provides the certified property appraisal rolls, upon which the rates are calculated throughout the county. Tax bills are mailed out in early October to all district households.