For several years in Harris County Republican circles, there has been a movement to eliminate the Harris County Department of Education. As I noted earlier, this year State Rep. Debbie Riddle has filed a bill in the state legislature to do just that.
The question is: is she right? Should the Harris County Department of Education be shuttered in September of this year and its assets turned over to the Harris County Commissioners Court for disposal by September of next year?
Over the past few months, I’ve tried to answer that question in my own mind and this is the conclusion that I’ve come to: no. There are several reasons that pushed me in that direction but two stand out: (1) the fact that this specific bill does not have any contingency plan whatsoever for the children that would be affected by it and (2) the lack of understanding about the department from some of the people that are pushing for its closure.
Decisions should be made in the best interest of the children being served
The first reason is why I put that picture above of my granddaughter in the field of bluebonnets. It really is “about the children” and we cannot forget that. My family has been blessed with her arrival, and her overall good health. But not every child is born healthy or “normal” in our society. We have chosen a path that shares the burden of educating those children in order to maximize their life potential. The Harris County Department of Education runs two schools that lightens the financial burden for taxpayers at the same time it provides the highest quality education available.
The Harris County Department of Education also runs two schools that educate those children that have disciplinary problems so severe that the local ISD’s cannot afford to allow them to disrupt classes. Some of these children are in the court system, having committed crimes ranging from theft to murder. Unlike when I was a child, we do not kick them out of school – the schools still must find a way to educate them. Again, the Harris County Department of Education has found a way to educate these wayward children in a way that lightens the financial burden for taxpayers at the same time it provides the highest quality education available.
Lack of knowledge from those pushing for closure is disturbing
This second reason is disturbing because frankly, I see it a lot in conservative circles. Some of those “on the right” limit their sources of information to their own small circles, conservative talk radio, and news outlets that share their views. I was shocked when I talked to several high ranking Republican officials that regurgitated the talking points of the loudest detractors of the Harris County Department of Education. I’m not saying I’m perfect but at least I try to get basic facts right. Several of the people that I spoke to about Rep. Riddle’s bill insisted that the Harris County Department of Education had no students and no schools.
The fact is that the Harris County Department of Education has no “zoned” students. In other words, all students are zoned to local ISD’s, not to the Harris County Department of Education. What this means is that the local ISD’s are the bodies ultimately responsible for educating the children. These local ISD’s have determined after an ARD (Admission, Review, and Dismissal) meetings that they cannot educate certain children with their current resources. If each of the 26 ISD’s that the Harris County Department of Education serves had to provide individual instruction for these children, the cost would be astronomical, forcing the local ISD to either raise their local tax rate or cut services to other children.
I happen to live in the La Porte Independent School District, so I called and talked to the Superintendent, Lloyd Graham. Mr. Graham verified the cost effectiveness of sending a child to one of the Harris County Department of Education special schools versus trying to go it alone. It is worth noting that La Porte ISD does have its own alternative schools. The children we are talking about are either so severely handicapped or are such a disciplinary problem that they cannot be served even by these schools. Mr. Graham praised the work of the Harris County Department of Education and didn’t know how the district would handle it if Rep. Riddle’s bill passes.
So, while it is true that the Harris County Department of Education has no “zoned” students, it is false and misleading to say that they have no students. In fact, I know this personally because I asked for and was granted a tour of two of the schools: the east side Academic and Behavior Center (ABC) that educates severely disabled students and the east side Highpoint (HP) campus that handles students with disciplinary problems. For privacy reasons, I didn’t take any pictures but here is a video that the Harris County Department of Education produced last year:
My visit to the ABC school was emotionally draining. The principal, Mindy Robertson, obviously has a passion for working with disabled children. In fact, the entire staff seemed to have been “called” to this work. It certainly isn’t the easiest teaching job around but every staff member I saw was compassionate and well, amazing. The staffing ratio is typically two adults to five children, they have a full time nurse on staff, and have specialized programs to transition those that have aged out of the school to live on their own. Just an amazing visit.
The visit to Highpoint was just as amazing in a different sort of way. I forget the terminology that principal David Oquin used for their techniques but it reminded me somewhat of a boot camp environment. But it was the compassion the staff exhibited that stood out. Principal Oquin and his staff seemed to truly care about the kids and their recidivism rate is extremely low. The more children we turn from a life of crime and violence, the better off society will be.
The idea that those pushing to close these schools don’t even know they exist is, as I said, disturbing.
If the bill passes, then what?
As I said, no contingency plans have been made. I spoke to several people about adding language to address these schools but they didn’t appear to be interested. Because of their reluctance to address or even acknowledge these students and schools, I think it needs to be defeated. The bill has been referred to the Public Education committee and I will be urging them to let it die there.
Is the Harris County Department of Education perfect?
No, of course not. I’ve had many discussions with the superintendent, Dr. John Sawyer, about some of his decisions, such as hiring Jerry Eversole and other lobbyists. Ridiculous waste of money. And there are other issues that need to be resolved – using taxpayer money to fund the new cloud computing project or board members taking trips to New York Washington, D.C. to network. A bloated PR staff, albeit an award winning one. As with any bureaucracy, there are many areas of improvement that we can find.
But the good thing about the Harris County Department of Education is that they have an elected board that we can take our concerns to. Some of those in favor of closing the Harris County Department of Education want the Texas Education Agency’s Region 4 service center to take over the functions of the Harris County Department of Education. What a disaster that would be. Have you ever tried to get the TEA to change something? It is much better to have an elected board to take you concerns to. One of the pillars of conservatism is that we want government to function at the lowest possible local level – well, that is exactly what the Harris County Department of Education and the 26 local ISD’s that participate in their programs are doing.
And another pillar of conservatism is being efficient and keeping tax rates low. Certainly, the Harris County Department of Education has done both of those. The board has kept the tax rate very low and the staff has leveraged taxpayer money through grants and cooperative purchasing, allowing the local ISD’s to educate these special needs children for a fraction of the cost it would take if they had to do it individually.
I’m going to urge my State Rep. John Davis to vote against Rep. Riddle’s bill.
Great job David. But perhaps there is a way to educate these special needs and disciplinary problem children without maintaining a large bureaucratic organization like the HCDE. While it may be, "about the children" it is also about the taxpayer and our ability and interest in funding duplicitous levels of government.
Bob, what "duplicitous" levels are you talking about?
What a joke. No county needs to operate a department of education given the huge money sent to public schools. Counties and municipalities could block grant funds to local schools if they had some great desire to see an additional service provided.
I fail to see the joke. Perhaps you could help me out? You want counties to give money to ISD's?
David, the only thing I agree with is that the date for HCDE closure in Rep Riddle's bill is too soon. They would need at least until Sept of 2014 to transfer management of their services to other entities so no students would see a disruption in services.
No one is saying that the alternative schools should close. We are simply saying you do not need a $19 million county school district bureaucracy to operate a few alternative schools for a total of 400-500 students per year. Their management can move to a different entity while keeping the same teachers and students.
HCDE is simply using emotion and fear tactics to scare people into thinking the kids will be left out in the cold. Every other county in Texas educates students with the same needs without a county school board. Harris County can too.
You need to know that the Region 4 Texas Educational Service Center (ESC) only 9 miles from HCDE is the governmental entity the Texas Legislature has named in statute to provide any services a school district requests. It is governed by a local board elected by the ISDs themselves. Now, you can't get any better than that if you want schools to have local control. And most of the ESC board members are persons from the education field so they have a much better understanding of what the schools need.
The ESCs are not a part of TEA. They are a separate entity governed by their own statues. They are evaluated and overseen by the Commissioner of Education. Region 4 here is Houston, is directed by Pam Wells, a previous administrator from Cy-Fair ISD. She is just as capable as County Superintendent John Sawyer at operating programs and services needed by local school districts.
Remember, HCDE is actually the Harris County School Trustees, who used to operate all the public schools in the county before we moved to independent school districts over 50 years ago. They are so outdated that the laws governing them are no longer even on the books. I challenge you to read those former laws and then decide if they should remain open.
Colleen,
You are quite wrong when you say that no one is saying that these schools need to close. Perhaps you are not saying that, I'm not sure. I've never seen anything you've written state that you think these schools are necessary but maybe I missed something. Regardless, there are people saying that the schools should close and the bill, as written, does just that. I've tried to talk to the people that are driving the bill into changing it to reflect the need to keep these schools open to no avail.
That $19 million serves a whole lot more than 4-500 students per year and you well know that. There are many programs within the HCDE. But the fact remains that school districts use the four schools because they need to.
HCDE is not "simply using emotion and fear tactics". No need to patronize me. Every other county does educate children but no other county is as large as Harris County, not even close. Have you done a study to determine the cost that other counties are paying?
Saying that the ESC's are completely separate from the TEA is like saying a zipper is separate from a pair of jeans. Yes, they are "independent" in some ways and they do have a board elected by the ISD's. I will absolutely state that having voters elect the board of HCDE directly is better than having the elected boards of ISD's elect 7 members of Region 4 with the eighth non-voting member appointed by the Texas Commissioner of Education.
No need to challenge me to read the law – I've read it. I'm always amazed at the hubris of people that think they are the only people that bother to research something.
Like I said, it took me awhile to form this opinion. Facts matter to me. There are students. The buildings are not Taj Mahals.
David,
I just have one question. Is HCDE paying you to write positive things about them like they are George Scott on George Scott Reports? Because your talking points sound just like his!
If they aren't, you really need to complain. Scott is getting $42,000 of our county education tax dollars for his "work." Yours is worth at least that.
I will give you one piece of advice, because I have been observing HCDE a bit longer than you have. You can't ask above $49,999 because items above that amount need board approval and would have to be listed as an agenda item. That is harder to hide from the public.
Colleen,
In a word, no.
This is exactly why you are not effective as an advocate. Rather than accept that someone might have a different opinion than you do, you recklessly slander people, throwing around charges of corruption like they were pieces of candy.
I have never berated you or your mission. I have never accused you of accepting money or plagiarizing someone else's words. I have publicly lauded you and given you credit where credit is due.
Thank you for reading BJP.
Dave
I don’t claim to be anything but an old retired teacher who is sick and tired of seeing our education dollars being sucked up by bureaucrats with nothing left for the kids. I spent 30 years in the classroom with special needs kids. I spent my own money to make sure my students had what they needed. Then after I retired, I find out that there is a place called HCDE (that I had never even heard of – or any other teacher I asked) that sucked up millions our tax dollars every year that should have been going directly to the school districts.
That might not bother you, but it sure bothers me. And I plan to keep telling everyone I can until the place is gone.
I don’t fall for HCDE’s talking points because I know they are not unique. I am certified in VEH – Vocational Education for the Handicapped. I used the Boys Town Method back in the 80s with my own students. HCDE didn't invent it. I have seen nothing at HCDE that is inventive educationally. All I see them invent are new ways for their friends to make money off taxpayers.
Sorry if you think I sound disrespectful or slanderous to you, but I don’t see the research in your article. Did you visit the other 70+ alternative schools in our area too? Did you go to surrounding counties and see how they educate their special kids? Did you visit the ESC in Beaumont to see how they operate their special schools for their county? Did you contact Pam Wells to research how the current HCDE alternative schools could be transferred to ESC4?
Because all I see in your article are the HCDE talking points. It all sounds like it is coming right from the mouth of John Sawyer or Angie Chesnut.
And public records do prove the other guy who is writing their talking points pretending to be a journalist, is actually a paid HCDE PR guy. I am glad you are not.
I look forward to the day when the HCDE Board sees the light and knows their days as elected officials are numbered. At that time John Sawyer, being an educator, will do the right thing for the kids and start working to transfer HCDE’s student programs to other providers. He knows exactly how to do it so not one child sees a disruption in service. Then you and the others who fell for HCDE's "it's all for the children" line will get to relax when you see that all the students still have the same educational services they did before. The only difference will be that Harris County taxpayers no longer waste millions of dollars on an unnecessary county educational bureaucracy.
I am privy to some info on HCDE and no, they are not perfect. However, we are financing them, and they are filling a need with these schools. So to everyone that wants them closed, will we be saving money and serving these children by incorporating them … or are we just making a money pit, because the district is not prepared. Will future cost be more than continuing what we have that works?
I think Bob might mean “duplicative”?
To all:
Perhaps if all HCDE was doing was the operation of alternative schools, plus other needed cost effective sharing programs, there would not be such an effort to abolish the Department. However, HCDE’s administration and board openly talk about their side businesses designed to make a profit and act with arrogance and hostility to any suggestions that they examine their operations for justification and efficiency.
No matter how “low” the tax rate is (in comparison to what?), HCDE continuously and purposely overestimates the tax rate necessary to fund their budget, in order to create surpluses outside the “Truth-in-Taxation” reporting rules. They savage both board members and others, including public officials, who dare to point this out.
The administration often fails to inform or misinforms the board which has absolutely abdicated their responsibilities through not holding the administration accountable. The entire organization operates in a climate of deception and secrecy.
A sizable part of HCDE’s property tax revenue is used for debt payments on HCDE facilities. HCDE acquired the former Weiners’ distribution center on North Post Oak for one of their business operations. The major part of the facility is being used to store records and materials for HISD under a servicing agreement. Certainly HISD is more than capable of doing this on their own. Why should HCDE obligate Harris County taxpayers for unjustified expenditures such as this debt repayment?
There are more questionable activities, but you get the idea.
How do you deal with an organization that refuses to reform itself? Just, as is happening to the state’s cancer foundation in Austin, you abolish it. HCDE needs to go.
Don,
While I appreciate your insight and would like to see you run for the HCDE board, you might want to check your facts on the state’s cancer foundation, CPRIT. It is not being abolished, measures are being put into place to reform some of the practices that have been in the news recently.
Dave
Dave:
I think we may be referring to two different parts of the same cancer research endeavor. In my posting, I was referring to the foundation established to raise money to augment CPRIT funding from the state. This is the foundation that was supplementing the salaries of CPRIT officials, recently made a secret change in their articles of organization to change their mission and was ordered by Attorney General Abbott not to take any actions until he completed his investigation of them. It is my understanding that, in response to their difficulties, they have elected to shut down and turn over the funds remaining after paying their bills to the state.
Don