Mayor's Office of EducationSchool & Community Engagement
School Engagement
Education is the cornerstone of our society, and it is our duty to ensure that every Houston school, teacher, and student - all 1.3 million - have access to the resources they need to achieve their highest potential. The Mayor's Office of Education and Youth Engagement is committed to this goal, acting as a bridge between schools and the wider community, ensuring they can tap into the wealth of resources available in the vibrant and diverse Houston region.
The office supports the EC-12 education system at every level, from district administrators to individual classrooms. Our role is to amplify the amazing community-school initiatives already taking place and to help schools access resources from a broad network of public and private partners who are equally committed to supporting education.
Key initiatives and programs the office supports can be found below.
The Mayor’s Back to School Fest Presented by Shell is designed to help economically disadvantaged Houston-area elementary school students and their families as they prepare to return to school. In addition to distributing 25,000 backpacks with school supplies, the event features on-site health screenings, including dental screenings and sealants, vision screenings, and routine immunizations. The event also connects families to a wide range of health and social services offered by community agencies.
Every year, the City of Houston hosts the annual Family Day in The Park event. This family-friendly event consists of music, activities, food and drinks, baseball games, and entertainment.
In 2021, our office partnered with Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages (CCSWB) to provide laptops to high-achievement, low-income students in local Houston schools. CCSWB’s donation to the Mayor’s Office of Education and Youth Engagement is part of an ongoing initiative to support students in need. The company has announced its donation of $1 million in laptops, to be distributed to students throughout several Texas communities, including the greater Houston area, Dallas-Fort Worth, San Antonio, and other regions CCSWB serves.
The Mayor's Office of Education and Youth Engagement is committed to building strong partnerships between local government and schools in Houston. We also actively seek out opportunities to collaborate with school leaders and educators, providing guidance and resources to help them improve outcomes for their students.
The Mayor's Office of Education and Youth Engagement recognizes the critical role that private industry can play in supporting local schools and students. To that end, we work diligently to foster partnerships between private industry and local campuses, leveraging the resources and expertise of local businesses to support education initiatives across Houston. One way we work to gain private industry support for local campuses is by providing opportunities for businesses to engage directly with students. This may include hosting career fairs, providing internships or apprenticeships, or inviting business leaders to speak to students about their careers and the importance of education through our Hire Houston Youth program.
Finding the Right School for Your Child
For parents in Texas who are searching for a school for their child, the official school search site provided by the Texas Education Agency (TEA) can be a valuable resource. Located at txschools.gov, this site allows parents to search for schools based on their zip code and provides detailed school ratings to help parents make an informed decision.
For more information about the office's efforts to advance school and community engagement, please email moedu@houstontx.gov.
Community Engagement
In an increasingly interconnected and dynamic world, fostering meaningful community engagement within the real of education and youth empowerment has emerged as an essential cornerstone of holistic development. Children, ages 0-18, comprise 25% of Houston’s total population, a number that is representative of its diversity and ongoing economic flourish. Without a doubt, a youthful city needs a large support system to be able to direct its diverse youth to paths of success. When supporting young people, organizations can infuse the principles of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to build welcoming, safe places where all belong – and, in turn, help empower respectful kids and teens who value people of all backgrounds.
The Mayor's Office of Education and Youth Engagement (MOEYE) is determined to expand its outreach and support to marginalized children and youth by connecting them to essential knowledge and resources that help them thrive professionally and personally. Successfully engaging the community primarily depends on understanding the community, their values, needs as well as understanding the composition of it. Below you will find a child equity profile designed by the MOEYE.
Contact the MOEYE
Mayor's Office of Education & Youth Engagement901 Bagby St., 4th Floor
Houston, TX 77002
Email: MOEdu@houstontx.gov
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