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HCDE operates four special schools—Academic and Behavior Schools East, Academic and Behavior Schools West, Highpoint School East, and Fortis Academy—serving three populations of students:
- those with severe emotional or physical disabilities;
- troubled or adjudicated youth;
- and students recovering from addiction.
The Schools Division partners with Harris County school districts to offer individualized learning through small-group instruction in highly structured classes. The goal is always for students to return to their home schools to graduate.
How can I enroll my child in an HCDE school?
Thank you for your interest in HCDE schools. Students attending our schools have been referred to us by their home districts. If you're interested in having your child attend one of our schools, please get in touch with your school district.
Who We Are
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Academic and Behavior Schools (ABS) East and West provide an educational environment for those students identified as having severe behavioral difficulties, emotional difficulties, and/or developmental disabilities. The classes are specifically designed to help special education students to function successfully. Staff members at the Academic and Behavior Schools use data-driven behavior management techniques emphasizing positive reinforcement. The philosophy of the ABS program revolves around the premise that significant learning and behavioral changes may be achieved by the following:
- Appropriate educational tasks;
- Reinforcement that is meaningful to the student; and
- Student knowledge of socially acceptable, responsible behaviors.
Highpoint School, opened in 1995, gives expelled or adjudicated youth a second chance at success. Featuring individualized learning or small group instruction in highly structured classes, our schools prepare students to return to their home schools to be successful and ultimately graduate with their classmates.
The innovative Fortis Academy is the first public recovery high school for students who live in the Houston area. The school, which opened in 2018, combines coaching, counseling and academics. Services are provided in a small learning community, with a low student-to-teacher ratio and individualized learning. Students attending Fortis complete a substance abuse or dependency rehab program. They continue their high school education in a sober environment.
Video Highlights
Schools Division Resources
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2024–2025 Academic Calendar
Download the Academic and Behavior Schools East and West, Fortis Academy, and Highpoint East 2024–2025 Academic Calendar.
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2024–2025 HCDE Special Schools Parent/Student Handbook
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Incident Report and Request to View Video Recording
Pursuant to Section 29.022 of the Texas Education Code (“TEC”), in addition to certain eligible parents and employees described in the TEC, the following individuals may request to view a video recording of a self-contained classroom or other special education setting:
- appropriate Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (“TDFPS”) personnel as part of an investigation under TFC § 261.406;
- the following individuals, in response to a report of an alleged Incident OR an investigation of district or school personnel OR a report of alleged abuse committed by a student:
- a peace officer;
- a school nurse;
- a district or school administrator trained in de-escalation and restraint techniques;
- a Human Resources Staff Member designated by the Board; and
- appropriate TEA or State Board for Educator Certification personnel or agents as part of an investigation.
Get more information and download Form D1: HCDE Incident Report and Request to View Video Recording
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Request for Video Surveillance
On the request of an eligible parent, staff member, principal, assistant principal, or the Board of Trustees, the Department must provide video equipment, including video cameras with audio recording capabilities, to campuses in accordance with Section 29.022, Texas Education Code, 19 T.A.C. § 103.1301, and Board Policy EHBAF. Campuses that receive equipment must place, operate, and maintain video cameras in certain self-contained classrooms or other special education settings. Video surveillance is solely for the purpose of promoting student safety. Regular or continual monitoring of video recordings is prohibited by law. Video recordings are confidential by law and may only be accessed or viewed by certain individuals under very limited circumstances as defined by the Texas Education Code. An approved request for video surveillance is only valid for the current school year. The school will notify the parents of each student in the classroom or setting under video surveillance, no later than the 10th day before the end of the school year, that the operation of the requested video camera(s) will not continue during the following school year unless the person eligible to make a request for the next school year submits a new request.
Get more information and download Form A1: HCDE Request for Video Surveillance
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ABS Placement Procedures
Please download and fully read the ABS Placement Procedures
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Texas Teacher Evaluation and Support System (T-TESS) Resources
What is T-TESS?
T-TESS strives to capture the holistic nature of teaching – the idea that a constant feedback loop exists between teachers and students, and gauging the effectiveness of teachers requires a consistent focus on how students respond to their teacher’s instructional practices. For those reasons, each of the observable domains in T-TESS focuses on teachers and students rather than separating them out into separate domains. Ultimately, T-TESS is a process that seeks to develop habits of continuous improvement, and the process itself best leads to that outcome when appraisers and teachers focus on evidence-based feedback and professional development decisions based on that feedback through ongoing dialogue and collaboration.T-TESS includes three components:
- Goal-setting and professional development plan
- The evaluation cycle (including: pre-conference, observation, post-conference)
- Student growth measure
T-TESS Website: https://teachfortexas.org/
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Student Learning Objectives (SLO) Resources
Excellent teachers regularly set learning goals for their students and use a variety of data sources to monitor progress towards these goals throughout the year. The Student Learning Objectives process aims to capture this best practice as a means to allow teachers and teacher appraisers to determine and reflect on a teacher’s pedagogical strengths and areas for growth.
Student Learning Objectives are:
- Student growth goals set by teachers
- Focused on a foundational student skill that is developed throughout the curriculum
- Tailored to the context of individual students
- Designed to help teachers better understand the impact of their pedagogy
- For the purposes of refining instruction.
SLO Resources: https://texasslo.org/Resources
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TEKS (An Online Curriculum Management System) Resource
What is TEKS Resource?
The Texas Curriculum Management Program Cooperative, or TCMPC, is a shared service agreement between the 20 Educational Service Centers (ESCs) in Texas. This shared service agreement, or SSA, allows participating ESCs to share responsibility for the management and operations of the online curriculum management system known as the TEKS Resource System.
The TCMPC provides content and support for an online curriculum management system known as the TEKS Resource System. The content includes curriculum components and sample unit assessment items aligned to the most current versions of the State Board of Education-adopted TEKS for the following subject areas:
- English Language Arts and Reading
- Spanish Language Arts and Reading
- Mathematics
- Science
- Social Studies
- Spanish translated versions of Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies
TEKS Resource - https://www.teksresourcesystem.net
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Bullying Complaint Form
This report must be completed to file a complaint relating to an incident of alleged bullying (for the purpose of
this form, bullying encompasses bullying, harassment, and discrimination).Once completed, this form should be retuned to the school Principal/designee of the school.
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Bacterial Meningitis Flyer
WHAT IS MENINGITIS?
Meningitis is an inflammation of the covering of the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by viruses, parasites, fungi, and bacteria. Viral meningitis is most common and the least serious.
Meningitis caused by bacteria is the most likely form of the disease to cause serious, long-term complications. It is an uncommon disease but requires urgent treatment with antibiotics to prevent permanent damage or death.
Bacterial meningitis can be caused by multiple organisms. Two common types are Streptococcus pneumoniae, with over 80 serogroups that can cause illness, and Neisseria meningitidis, with five serogroups that most commonly cause meningitis.Check out the flyer for more information.
Special Schools
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Schools Division
Harris County Department of Education
6300 Irvington Blvd.
Houston, TX 77022
Phone: 713-696-8218
EmailCharles Ned, Ph.D.
Sr. Director of Schools
Email
Academic and Behavior Schools (ABS) East
7710 Office City Drive
Houston, TX 77012
Phone: 713-242-8036
Fax: 713-645-5773Mercedes Love
Principal
Email
Academic and Behavior Schools (ABS) West
12772 Medfield Dr.
Houston, TX 77082
Phone: 713-339-9411
Fax: 713-978-7662
Jatata Hutton
Principal
Email
Fortis Academy
11902 Spears-Gears Road
Houston, TX 77067
Phone: 713-696-2195
Fax: 713-696-2196
Travita Godfrey
Principal
Email
Highpoint School East
8003 East Sam Houston Parkway North
Houston, TX 77049
Phone: 713-696-2160
Fax: 713-696-1861
Courtney Waters
Principal
Email
Latest News
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Highpoint's Waters returns home to lead with empathy
HCDE principal is passionate about education, committed to positively impacting her community
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ABS East's Love leads with heart
HCDE's newest principal, inspired by her own educators, is transforming the school's culture