Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath told school leaders Nov. 4 that he is committed to "ensuring a smooth and successful transition for the incoming education commissioner."

The statement came one day after Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa won the governor's race. Hinojosa pledged in her victory speech to fire Morath on her first day in office, as we reported Nov. 3.

A Texas Education Agency (TEA) spokesperson told Click2Houston that Morath had been scheduled to visit students and teachers at Troy Independent School District in Central Texas and then meet with superintendents at the Region 12 Education Service Center. During closing remarks at that meeting, Morath "expressed his appreciation for the educational leaders in the room," the spokesperson said.

The timeline gets complicated

Morath's term is set to expire Jan. 10, 2027. Hinojosa's inauguration is scheduled for Jan. 19. That nine-day gap raises a procedural question the sources do not answer: what happens to the commissioner's seat between those dates.

Texas law requires Senate approval if a governor wants to remove a sitting commissioner before the appointment expires, according to Click2Houston. Texas Senate Republicans held onto their majority in the 2026 midterms.

But because Morath's term ends before Hinojosa takes office, she would have the power to appoint a new commissioner without needing to fire him first.

Hinojosa signaled at her Nov. 5 post-election press conference in Austin that she is already looking ahead. "We are actively interviewing people for that position," she said, according to Fox 26 Houston.

What it means for Clear Creek ISD

The TEA oversees the A-F accountability rating system that grades every Texas public school. Clear Creek ISD scored an 89 out of 100 for the 2025-26 school year, earning a B, according to Community Impact. That was up one point from the prior year's 88.

Out of 44 rated CCISD campuses, 17 earned an A, 20 earned a B and seven earned a C, according to TEA data.

Superintendent Karen Engle said in an Aug. 14 news release that the district's goal is to reach 90 or higher.

Hinojosa has pledged to overhaul that system. During a campaign stop in San Antonio, she told supporters she would "pause the rigged A-F accountability system" and "end the STAAR test once and for all," according to Houston Public Media.

Morath's record

Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Morath to lead the TEA in 2016. Under Morath, the agency revamped the A-F accountability system and intervened in eight school districts, including Houston ISD and Fort Worth ISD.

Hinojosa has promised to return those districts to local control and to appoint "a commissioner who respects local control and the role of parents and community in turning around struggling schools," as she said at an Oct. 15 news conference covered by KHOU.

Hinojosa's inauguration is Jan. 19, 2027. No public timeline has been announced for naming a replacement.