TEXAS TRIBUNE

By Jaden Edison, Sneha Dey and Megan Menchaca

The outcome of Texas’ gubernatorial race will determine the future of testing, school district takeovers and who oversees public education for nearly 5.5 million children.

Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, his Democratic opponent, diverge in their perspectives on how state leaders should oversee public schools. Those differences show up in their past education priorities as governor and a state lawmaker, respectively. They also appear in the education agendas the two released in recent weeks as they seek election to Texas’ highest office.

The governor appoints the education commissioner, the State Board of Education chair and State Board for Educator Certification members as well as university regents. The state’s top leader can also fast-track legislation and approve or reject bills affecting children across public school campuses and Texas’ colleges and universities.

Texans will decide in November whom they trust more with that responsibility — Abbott or Hinojosa. Until then, here’s what to know about each candidate’s education priorities.

Abbott’s priorities

Teacher misconduct: Abbott wants to impose tougher criminal penalties on teachers convicted of abusing children. The incumbent wants those instructors to face a minimum of 10 years in prison without parole. Texas has recorded more than 1,800 allegations of inappropriate communications or relationships between teachers and students in the last year, according to state data.

Limiting devices: Abbott has pushed for more restrictions on screen time during student instruction. At a campaign stop earlier this month, the governor said he wanted to pull back on the use of laptops and tablets in classrooms and instead emphasize books, handwriting and “direct teacher instruction.”

The proposal comes after school districts in Texas and across the country used federal pandemic relief funds to invest in technology. The effort would build on a cell phone ban in classrooms, which lawmakers approved last year. Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath credited the cell phone ban for helping improve academic performance among teenagers on state exams.

Financial accountability: Abbott wants to pass a new law that would cut the amount of money that school districts spend on administrative costs and reduce “unnecessary” state mandates that consume the time of campus employees.

Under his proposal, the state would require that school districts direct at least 70% of their funding to classroom instruction, while Texas’ chief financial officer would audit the spending habits of districts whose students struggle the most academically.

Texas education law already imposes limits on how schools can spend funds approved by the Legislature. The Texas Education Agency also currently conducts financial audits of districts each year.

Abbott said he expects education officials to also make cuts to their budget. A state audit of the education agency recently concluded that it employs too many managers.

Lower college tuition costs: Abbott supports requiring four-year Texas universities to offer financial discounts to undergraduates taking summer classes. Under his proposal, students would receive $500 off their tuition and fees if they take up to five credit hours during the summer — or $1,000 off if they take six or more hours. The plan would need legislative approval.

Some higher education institutions, including the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas at Dallas, already offer discounts for summer tuition.

The governor also directed the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to work on pathways for students to earn bachelor’s degrees in three years. The move would reduce the cost of higher education, shorten the time for degree completion and allow the state to respond to workforce demands quicker, he said.

Hinojosa’s priorities

A new commissioner: The Austin Democrat vowed to fire Morath on her first day in office and appoint a career educator in his place.

Morath has led the Texas Education Agency for a decade, having previously served as a Dallas schools trustee. His limited classroom experience comes from teaching advanced computer science part-time for a few months.

“The agency that oversees our children’s education should be led by someone who has taught them,” Hinojosa’s website states.

Eliminate high-stakes testing: Hinojosa wants to end the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness and “tests like it,” saying state lawmakers must reevaluate the A–F accountability system largely driven by how children perform on STAAR.

If a school receives five consecutive F ratings, current law requires the education commissioner to close the campus or replace the entire district’s locally elected leadership.

During the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers authorized a plan to phase out the STAAR test in favor of three shorter exams, beginning in the 2027–28 academic year. The education agency will maintain a prominent role in creating the exam, which will also count toward districts’ accountability ratings.

Ending state takeovers: The former Austin schools trustee said she plans to end Texas’ ongoing practice of removing districts’ elected school board members and superintendents during takeovers.

Morath has taken over seven districts for failing academic standards during his time as commissioner, including in Houston, Fort Worth and Beaumont. Austin ISD, where Hinojosa previously served as school board president, could soon face a takeover after two of its campuses received a string of failing accountability grades.

Getting rid of vouchers: This school year marks the first time that Texas allows families to use taxpayer money to fund their children’s private school or home-school education, a major priority for Abbott. Hinojosa wants to end the education savings accounts, which she has long criticized as a handout to wealthy families whose children already attend private schools.

White families make up the largest share of participants so far, as do those considered low-income, the comptroller’s office noted in a report released earlier this month. The report did not say how many students previously attended private school or received home schooling, but new data shows that 70% of families who have joined or have pending invites to the program fall into that category.

Cutting ties with vendors: Hinojosa believes the state spends too much money on businesses that help run educational programs and services. She said state leaders should instead use that funding to raise teacher salaries and make Texas educators among the highest paid in the nation.

Texas lawmakers approved a nearly $8.5 billion school funding package last year, most of which they dedicated to improving teacher pay. However, Texas ranks 33rd in average teacher salary, according to the National Education Association, the largest labor union in the country.

This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.