Houston ISD board managers prepare for removal under Hinojosa

Who's involved

• Gina Hinojosa · Gov.-elect of Texas^[1]
• Mike Morath · Texas Education Agency Commissioner^[1]
• Ric Campo · President of Houston ISD board of managers^[1]
• Pete Geren · Appointed president in Fort Worth ISD^[1]
• Elizabeth Chapman · English teacher and parent in Houston^[1]
• Jessi Heiner · Organizer with Houston Federation of Teachers^[1]

The facts

1. State-appointed managers in Texas takeover school districts said Friday, Nov. 6, 2026 that they are preparing to be out of a job as soon as January 2027^[1]
2. Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa campaigned to stop state takeovers in public schools and to replace Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath with an educator on her first day in office, which would be Jan. 19, 2027^[1]
3. Eight districts in Texas were taken over by the state because campuses persistently failed academic standards^[1]
4. During a state takeover, a commissioner appoints managers who assume the authority of locally elected trustees^[1]
5. The state takeover of Houston ISD began in 2023^[1]
6. Ric Campo said some of the state-appointed managers plan to meet with the elected trustees on Monday, Nov. 9, 2026 to lay out a transition plan^[1]
7. Trustees in districts under state intervention remain in office but do not have the power to vote on anything, including to pass a budget or change board policy^[1]
8. Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath already planned to announce the timeline for Houston ISD to return to elected control by June 2027^[1]
9. Texas law requires the commissioner to take over a district after one of its campuses earns five consecutive academically unacceptable ratings from the state or close the failing school^[1]

Who said what

• Ric Campo "I've always said — in public and to the elected trustees — that we're working ourselves out of a job, and we're happy to do it. What we really want to make sure happens is that we have a great, smooth transition, and that the elected trustees, when they do come back, are prepared and have the information they need to do the best job they can."^[1]
• Ric Campo Managers and district staff will prepare a transition package that includes everything board members "ever wanted to know" about the district, including details on operations, transportation, human resources, classroom learning and teacher incentive pay^[1]
• Pete Geren He expects that he and the other board managers will be removed soon, although he is not sure when^[1]
• Pete Geren "I know they will have the authority on day one to replace all of us. Regardless of when it happens, we're in this limbo. And we can't let being in limbo do anything to disadvantage the kids."^[1]
• Elizabeth Chapman, an English teacher and parent in Houston "Everybody thought this trend of the state running schools was unstoppable. We anticipated that they were just waiting until after the election to announce that Austin ISD was next, and now we have an answer that the people of Texas want local control of their school districts."^[1]
• Jessi Heiner, an organizer with the Houston Federation of Teachers She started sobbing on Tuesday evening, Nov. 5, 2026 when she learned that incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott conceded^[1]