Harris County Department of Education
ames Colbert Jr. is an educational leader with a passion for students and a strong background in collaboration, communication and child advocacy. A visionary and systems-oriented thinker, Mr. Colbert is skilled at implementing comprehensive plans that reflect the current and long-term needs of an organization and is dedicated to building positive relationships with all stakeholders.
Mr. Colbert has more than 20 years of diverse educational experience in multiple states including being a special education teacher, coach, high school administrator, district administrator, superintendent and county superintendent.
Mr. Colbert joined Harris County Department of Education in 2014 as Superintendent, where he is responsible for programs and services that support 25 districts and benefit 1 million students, representing approximately 20% of the students in the state of Texas.
Mr. Colbert is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin, where he competed in NCAA Division 1 athletics as a triple-jumper, and holds a Masters of Education Administration from Texas State University. He has been married to his wife, Angie, for close to 25 years and is the proud father of a freshman at Louisiana State University.
Harris County Department of Education
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The Harris County Department of Education is a public entity dedicated to helping meet the needs of uniquely challenged learners and school staff in the state’s largest county through innovative programming and support services. HCDE directly serves approximately 30,000 students with four alternative campuses, therapy services provided in local schools, 17 Head Start centers for early childhood education, after-school programming in dozens of community and school settings and the largest adult education program in Texas. HCDE also supports educators and school staff with professional development opportunities in diverse instructional areas ranging from core content to special populations and educational technology, as well as offers programs supporting school safety and alternative certification. The department provides valuable operational support to districts and public agencies in Harris County in the form of an advanced records management system, facilities planning and purchasing power through the Choice Partners program. These services are supported by a property tax of approximately ½ cent (about $9 annually for the average Harris County homeowner) as well as a revenue-generating model for some divisions. With this funding, HCDE provides savings to Harris County’s 25 school districts, allowing districts to keep money in the classroom and preserve their own tax rates. HCDE has lowered its tax rate for the last five years, consistently staying below the effective tax rate, providing exceptional value to Harris County taxpayers.