Family→K-12 Education

K-12 Education

From kindergarten through high school — the schools, programs, and policies shaping 900,000 kids across Harris County. Test scores tell one story. Families tell another.

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Family

School vouchers, slowing growth and food insecurity: What Kinder Institute researchers are watching in Houston in 2026

Kinder Institute researchers highlight Houston's biggest issues to watch in 2026: school vouchers, population shifts, and food insecurity.

HIGH ORDER OF OWL TAILGATING SOCIETY

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Family

Microscale Mutual Aid School Projects

Community Voices for Public Education

Family

Study on Social and Emotional Skills | Kinder Institute for Urban Research

Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University

Government

Request by the Commissioner of Precinct 4 for approval of a resolution honoring Alief Taylor High School on its 25th anniversary.

Harris County Commissioners Court

Who’s doing the work

Clinics, agencies, nonprofits, funders, and community groups

Health is delivered by many kinds of people and institutions. Start here to see who is providing care, organizing support, funding work, and shaping the system.

Harris County Commissioners Court

15 connections in this ecosystem

Texas House of Representatives

4 connections in this ecosystem

Also connects to

How K-12 Education connects

policy

Supporting the goals and ideals of "National Middle-Level Education Month".

policy

Request by Juvenile Probation for approval to accept from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department/Texas Education Agency combined grant funds in the amount of $7,770,712, with no required match, and extend 2025-2026 associated positions from August 22, 2026 to October 2, 2026, then roll these associated positions to August 31, 2027 for the 2026-2027 year JJAEP and Charter School Programs.

policy

Request by Juvenile Probation for approval to accept from the Texas Juvenile Justice Department appropriated funds in the amount of $33,063,987.89, with a total discretionary match of $7,574,717, for the state fiscal year 2026-2027, and extend associated positions from August 22, 2026 to October 2, 2026 for the current state fiscal year, then roll these associated positions to August 31, 2027 for the grant fiscal year 2026-2027 State Aid-Grant A; Special Needs Diversionary-Grant M; Vocational Pilot Program; Front End Multi-Systemic Therapy; Leadership Academy-Grant D; Discretionary State Aid Programs; Salary Adjustment Grant; Detention Reimbursement; Title IV-E Federal Reimbursement-Grant E; and Equipment Fund Juvenile Probation Programs.

policy

Celebrating the accomplishments of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, and recognizing the need to continue pursuing the goal of educational opportunities for all women and girls.

policy

Request by Juvenile Probation for approval to extend 2025-2026 associated positions from September 19, 2026 to October 16, 2026, then roll these associated positions to September 30, 2027 for the 2026-2027 year Title I-Part A, Title I-Part D, and IDEA-B Formula programs.

49%

3rd graders reading at grade level (Texas STAAR)

Source: Texas Education Agency, Spring 2025 STAAR grades 3-8 results (statewide)

$11,349

Infant child care cost, center-based (Texas)

Source: Child Care Aware of America, Child Care in America: 2024 Price & Supply Report — Texas fact sheet

28%

Children in single-parent households

Source: American Community Survey 5-Year (2020-2024) via Houston State of Health, Harris County

16%

Children without health insurance

Source: U.S. Census Bureau / American Community Survey (ACS)

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Organizations working here

Who works in K-12 Education in Houston

Organization

Texas House of Representatives

The lower chamber of the Texas Legislature

Eldridge / West Oaks

Organization

Bob Wade's "Smokesax" is a towering blue saxophone made from Gulf Coast oilfield pipe, a Vokswagen Bug, beer kegs, surfboards, hubcaps, lights, and cattle feeders, and is one of the best examples of Wade's larger-than-life artistic style.

Gulfgate Riverview / Pine Valley

Organization

Texas State Senate

The upper chamber of the Texas Legislature

Eldridge / West Oaks

K-12 Education

Learn

Engage

Connect

Act

Choose a starting point

Start with the story

Find one way in

Look around your neighborhood

What's happening.

School vouchers, slowing growth and food insecurity: What Kinder Institute researchers are watching in Houston in 2026

Who’s doing the work

Clinics, agencies, nonprofits, funders, and community groups

How K-12 Education connects

Supporting the goals and ideals of "National Middle-Level Education Month".

Celebrating the accomplishments of title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, also known as the Patsy Takemoto Mink Equal Opportunity in Education Act, and recognizing the need to continue pursuing the goal of educational opportunities for all women and girls.

Request by Juvenile Probation for approval to extend 2025-2026 associated positions from September 19, 2026 to October 16, 2026, then roll these associated positions to September 30, 2027 for the 2026-2027 year Title I-Part A, Title I-Part D, and IDEA-B Formula programs.

Available support.

Who works in K-12 Education in Houston

The Jung Center Houston

Texas House of Representatives

Texas Legislature

Orange Show

Texas State Senate

Right to Read Act of 2025

Request by the Commissioner of Precinct 4 for approval of a resolution honoring Alief Taylor High School on its 25th anniversary.

Request by the County Clerk for approval to use the department’s procurement card and/or reimburse personnel in an estimated amount of $1,200.00 for food and coffee expenses incurred from the County Clerk’s Back to School Birth Certificate event taking place on Saturday, August 1, 2026.

Request by Juvenile Probation for approval to accept from the Texas Education Agency additional appropriations in the amount of $11,900, with no required match, for the FY 26-27 Biennium Instructional Materials Allotment for the Excel Academy Charter School.

To amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to allow local educational agencies to use Federal funds for programs and activities that address chronic absenteeism, and for other purposes.

Request for approval to host the Healthy Schools, Healthy Communities Summit in an amount not to exceed $11,500 on September 30, 2026, at the Harris County Department of Education Adult Education Building.

Request by the Commissioner of Precinct 4 for approval of a resolution recognizing August 2026 as Back to School Month in Harris County.

Harris County Gets More Money for Youth Education Programs

Request for approval of a discretionary exemption from the competitive bid requirements and that the County Judge execute an agreement with Aldine Independent School District in the amount of $100,000 for Aldine ISD Financial Literacy and Career-Connected Learning Program initiative for Precinct 2.

Request by the Commissioner of Precinct 2 that the County Judge execute a 381 Agreement to provide a financial literacy program, including integrating The Stock Market Game, for students of Galena Park ISD (GPISD) in an amount not to exceed $83,200.

FLEX Act

Request by the Commissioner of Precinct 4 for approval of a resolution honoring Houston Chinese American Relief Efforts for their work to support Precinct 4 area schools and children.

Request for approval to use the department’s procurement cards to purchase birth certificates paid for by community donations not to exceed $3,500.00 for constituents during the County Clerk’s Back to School Birth Certificate event taking place on Saturday, August 1, 2026.

Federal Grants: Department of Education — $119.8M to Harris County (FY2025)

Microscale Mutual Aid School Projects

Study on Social and Emotional Skills | Kinder Institute for Urban Research