On July 29, the Center for Educator Success (CES) welcomed a dozen professionals who worked tirelessly on their two-year journey to become alternatively certified educators in Harris County for a night of celebration. Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) leaders, family and friends gathered at the Adult Education Learning Center to honor cohort members for completing more than 300 coursework hours, 50 field-based experience hours and state testing requirements. 

“Fully certifying another CES cohort is incredibly meaningful for our team,” Senior Director Andrea Segraves said. “Each class represents our continued commitment to producing high‑quality teachers who strengthen the Harris County educator pipeline. Seeing candidates reach this milestone is a powerful reminder of the impact our division has on classrooms and communities across the region.”  

HCDE partners with Districts of Innovation, like Spring, Aldine and Cleveland independent school districts, to recruit employees with bachelor’s degrees who lack teacher certification to join the program. Cohort members then work with the CES team throughout the certification process to learn about classroom management, instructional planning and content methodologies while shadowing educators within their district.  

As graduates, they will move into their own classrooms at the start of the 2026-2027 academic year, where they will continue to receive support from the CES team as they settle in. The celebration marked more than the end of a two-year journey but signaled the start of new opportunities for students, schools and communities that will benefit from the graduates’ dedication and passion for teaching.