After years of shuffling to different locations, Quest Early College High School students will soon have a permanent space of their own. Humble ISD is moving forward with its project to relocate Quest Early College from being housed within Humble High School to the district's career and technical education center, or CATE Center.

The CATE Center is located right next to Humble High at 9155 Will Clayton Parkway, Humble. According to the district's website, Quest Early College allows qualified students to simultaneously earn high school diplomas and an associate degree—or up to two years of credit toward a bachelor's degree—for free.

While the CATE Center will initially be about half the size of Quest Early College's current space at Humble High, HISD Chief Communications Officer Jamie Mount said via email the district intends to invest $10 million to $12 million over the next few years to expand and renovate the space for Quest Early College students.

"Quest students will have their own, unique space for classes while continuing to use the cafeteria, gymnasium, library and auditorium at Humble High School," Mount said of the interim until Quest Early College's new space is renovated.

Quest Early College students will move to the CATE Center in August 2020, and renovations on the space will be completed during the 2022-23 school year, Mount said.


At the Dec. 10 Humble ISD board of trustees meeting, trustees unanimously approved a contract for PBK Architects to be the architecture firm for the renovations at the CATE Center as well as renovations to Humble High School's library, cafeteria, competition gym and space currently occupied by Quest Early College. Mount said the CATE Center renovation will be paid for out of the district's fund balance.

Daniel Winter, a student representative from Quest Early College, thanked trustees at the school board meeting for helping to provide students a space of their own. Quest Early College has been in three different facilities in the last 10 years, according to the district.

"You all might or might not know what it is like staying in borrowed space, but it is very doable, and we make the best out of it as we always persevere," Winter said. "But all the same, it's a sad experience when you just wish someone would believe in you enough to grant you something you wish for so badly: a place to call home. However, now, thanks to all of you sitting in front of me, we'll have that."

Meanwhile, students currently utilizing the CATE Center will take courses at their current or neighboring high schools. Mount said the district took a survey in October that showed that CTE students found it difficult to travel from their home campuses to the CATE Center for a CTE course.


Therefore, beginning in the 2020-21 school year, these CATE Center CTE courses will be moving to the following high schools:

Atascocita High School:

  • CISCO Academy, or internetworking technologies

  • Computer maintenance and networking

  • Pharmacy tech

  • Robotics

  • Hospitality services


Humble High School:


  • Certified nursing assistant

  • Sports medicine


Kingwood High School:


  • Pharmacy tech

  • Certified nursing assistant


Kingwood Park High School:


  • CISCO Academy, or internetworking technologies

  • Computer maintenance and networking