Why Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa Plans to Replace Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath

Democratic Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa intends to replace Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath immediately upon taking office in January. Hinojosa, who has criticized the current state of public education oversight, pledged during her victory speech to make his removal a “day one” priority.

Tension surrounding the leadership of the Texas Education Agency (TEA) followed Tuesday’s election results as Democratic Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa pledged to replace Commissioner Mike Morath.

Gina Hinojosa delivers the agenda for Public Education Texas: “On Day One, I will fire Mike Morath and we will work tirelessly to repair the damage of the Texas voucher scam – And end an era in which our schools are sold for parts:” pic.twitter.com/s7aSlnLSoR

— https://x.com/texasforgina/status/2117865395239387608

Mike Morath faces a natural term expiration in January

While Hinojosa’s rhetoric centered on a direct firing, the timing of the transition offers a more technical path for the incoming administration. Morath has led the TEA since January 2016, following an appointment by Republican Governor Greg Abbott. Morath is already approaching the end of his third term.

His current appointment is set to expire on January 10. Because Hinojosa does not officially take office until January 19, the Governor-elect may not even need to trigger a formal firing process. Instead, she could simply appoint a successor to fill the vacancy once the current term lapses. However, the transition is not without political hurdles; Hinojosa confirmed Thursday that her team is already interviewing candidates, but any nominee will require confirmation from the Republican-controlled Texas Senate.

Gina Hinojosa delivers emotional victory speech in Texas governor's race

Hinojosa seeks to restore local governance to Houston ISD

The drive to replace Morath is rooted in a fundamental disagreement over how Texas governs its classrooms. Hinojosa, drawing on her experience as a former Austin Independent School District board president, argues that the TEA has moved too far away from local community control. She has specifically pledged to restore local governance to Houston ISD, the state’s largest school district.

The controversy in Houston stems from a 2023 decision by the TEA to replace the district’s elected school board and superintendent with state-appointed leaders, a move justified by the agency due to years of poor academic performance. While supporters of the takeover point to improving accountability ratings, Hinojosa and other critics argue the move stripped parents of their voice. She has also voiced concerns regarding potential state intervention in Austin ISD following issues with special education services.

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Beyond local control, Hinojosa is targeting the mechanics of how schools are graded. She has called for a pause on the state’s A‑F accountability system, which relies heavily on standardized testing. As she told The Texas Standard in October, she believes the current system is inherently flawed because the TEA creates the tests and then determines the grading criteria after the students have already completed them.

“I don’t have anything against the man personally, but I do believe we need an educator in that position to get us back on track,” Hinojosa told The Texas Standard.

The expansive power of the Texas Education Agency

To understand why this leadership change matters, one must look at the sheer scope of the TEA’s influence. The agency is responsible for distributing both state and federal education funding and overseeing the standardized testing that dictates school rankings. More importantly, it holds the legal authority to intervene in struggling districts, effectively bypassing local voters to install state managers.

Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath discusses his visit to Fort Worth ISD during a news conference in William James — Photo: ketr.org

Before his tenure as commissioner, he served on the Dallas Independent School District’s board of trustees, but he has limited experience as a classroom teacher.

Agency Responsibility	Impact on Local Districts
Funding Distribution	Determines state and federal budget allocations for 5.5 million students.
Accountability Ratings	Assigns A‑F grades based on standardized test performance.
District Intervention	Can replace elected boards with state‑appointed managers.

A divided government complicates the education agenda

Even if Hinojosa successfully installs a new commissioner, a divided Legislature could complicate her efforts to overhaul public education. While Democrats secured control of the Texas House in Tuesday’s election, Republicans maintained their majority in the Senate.

TX Gov-elect Gina Hinojosa's first presser since midterm win

Hinojosa’s wider agenda also includes raising teacher pay, increasing public school funding, and opposing the state’s new private school voucher program.

The next major milestone in this transition will occur in early January, as the TEA prepares for the expiration of Morath’s term and the formal commencement of the Hinojosa administration.