Hinojosa plans immediate changes to Texas schools and budgets

Gina Hinojosa defeated Greg Abbott in the Texas governor’s race and is preparing to take office on Jan. 19, 2027. Her transition team has already identified several executive actions she intends to take during her first week. These moves target the state’s education system and daily consumer costs.

Hinojosa said she will fire Commissioner of Education Mike Morath on her first day in office. She described her goal as leading a government for every Texan rather than for major donors or insiders. Her administration aims to shift state resources away from administrative overhead and toward classroom funding.

A central part of her platform involves restructuring how public schools are funded and managed. Hinojosa plans to eliminate no-bid contracts, which are government agreements awarded to vendors without a competitive bidding process. She intends to redirect those savings to increase teacher salaries. She also plans to halt state takeovers of local school districts, returning control to local boards.

The incoming governor criticized the private school voucher program enacted under Abbott’s administration. She referred to the initiative as a scam that primarily benefits wealthier families. Hinojosa said she will work to repair the damage caused by that policy and redirect public funds back to traditional public schools.

She also intends to end the use of the STARR test, a standardized assessment she described as flawed and unreliable. Hinojosa argued the test fails to accurately measure student achievement. Her education reforms aim to reduce standardized testing while increasing financial support for educators.

Beyond schools, Hinojosa proposed economic measures to lower costs for families. She plans to ban surveillance pricing on groceries, a practice where prices change based on individual customer data. She also wants to place an immediate moratorium on the construction of new AI data centers. Additionally, she proposed a one-time $1,500 check for Texans funded by the state’s Rainy Day Fund, a measure that requires approval from two-thirds of the state Senate.

Hinojosa told supporters that the historical nature of her victory was less important than the work ahead. She expressed hope that the future built by her administration would surpass the moment of her election. The governor-elect is currently in the transition phase, finalizing her cabinet selections and legislative strategy for the upcoming session.