There can be no American Dream without strong public schools. That’s why public education is enshrined in the Texas Constitution:
“A general diffusion of knowledge being essential to the preservation of the liberties and rights of the people, it shall be the duty of the Legislature of the State to establish and make suitable provision for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools.”
The Texas Constitution – 1876
~Gina Hinojosa for Texas Governor
Part of what’s exciting about Texas Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Gina Hinojosa is her laser focus on the issues breaking public schools. She’s speaking out about public education in a way no other politician, Republican or Democrat, is. As governor, she could have a far-reaching positive effect on students and America’s schools.
On her education website, Hinojosa focuses on the Texan grassroots school issues parents care about. She listens. Hinojosa models what the nation needs to rebuild a great education system.
In Texas and across the nation, parents are realizing that their public schools are theirs and they should be great schools!
School Closures
As a mom, Hinojosa watched her son’s school face closure. We’ve known for years that no matter where they happen, school closures hurt communities and the country. Becoming school board president, she balanced the budget to keep the school open and reduced the tax rate.
School closures are happening across the country. How Hinojosa handles school closures in Texas could set the example for addressing the problem elsewhere.
Teacher Pay and Smaller Class Sizes
Hinojosa recognizes the importance of teacher pay raises and smaller class sizes, and negotiated a historic 2019 school finance bill for more classroom funding. She has worked to ban student discrimination often found in charter schools.
She understands that there is no teacher shortage, but that teachers have been undervalued. She wants great teachers leading all Texan classrooms!
Hinojosa Embraces Parents From Both Parties!
Hinojosa is uniting parents from both parties. Felt unheard by Greg Abbott and his appointed Texas Education Agency (TEA) leader Mike Morath, many conservative parents are switching their Republican votes to Hinojosa. They believe it will be in the best interest of Texan students.
The New York Times recently described these connections, telling why Lynn Davenport, a lifelong conservative and activist for public education, supported Hinojosa (Goldberg, 2026).
“The governor is a globalist, which to me is scarier than a communist, a socialist or a Marxist, because what Abbott is imposing is technocracy. He’s giving the tech giants carte blanche in Texas.”
Davenport decided to publicly support Hinojosa’s bid for governor. “Gina is someone that I can work with, whereas Abbott doesn’t care what I think.”
Lynn Davenport and Gina Hinojosa developed a friendship supporting great public schools. Conservative or liberal, if you care about public education Hinojosa is for you and Texan kids.
Ending Rigged Standardized Tests
Remember the Opt Out movement? Parents opting their children out of tests, gave parents power to fight against school privatization.
In Texas the STAAR testing (State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness) are those tests used to disparage teachers, public schools, and worst of all students.
It’s good to know Hinojosa recognizes the problematic way tests are used today and that we can’t always trust tests.
Politicians across the country should follow her lead and revisit the use of testing in their schools.
Give Public Schools Back to the Communities
Hinojosa recognizes that governor Greg Abbott has used STAAR testing to seize control of school districts.
Houston superintendent Mike Miles is no educator, but he left his position as the CEO of Third Future Schools, charter schools. The state took over Houston’s schools and made Miles the superintendent. He has handed schools over to state bureaucrats and private vendors.
Hinojosa wants to return public schools to the rightful community owners, local Texans who have a vested interest in great public schools.
The Special Education Scandal
The Texas Education Agency began denying children special education services under an 8.5% cap. This began in 2004 under another Texan Republican governor, Rick Perry. It lasted until 2017. Gov. Greg Abbott became governor in 2015.
Disability Rights Texas had to take on the Texas Education Agency (TEA) over this state rule limiting the percentage of children school districts could recognize as in need of special education services. The TEA should have been supportive of the Texan students.
How many Texan children missed out on special education services that were their legal rights under IDEA?
Stop Vouchers!
While some Democratic governors are signing on to Trump’s voucher plan which will devastate public schools, Hinojosa has remained adamant against vouchers.
Hinojosa joined the House Public Education Committee, working with rural Republicans to defeat Greg Abbott’s voucher scam. They did this four separate times!
Greg Abbott’s voucher scam was never about helping kids — it’s a payout for the privileged. After accepting more than $12 million in donations from out-of-state billionaire Jeff Yass, Abbott funneled $1 billion into the voucher program, redirecting money from 5.5 million public school kids to instead serve his rich donors. Today, 70% of voucher applications are from families who already have their kids in private school, and private schools retain the power to keep everyone else out.
Hinojosa Recognizes the Importance of Educators!
Greg Abbott appointed Mike Morath a Democrat to lead the TEA. Morath is no educator and has no experience working with children or professional study in education. Morath has done Greg Abbott’s bidding.
According to Hinojosa’s website, Greg Abbott has used classroom dollars for needless vendor contracts to his donors, growing the state agency bureaucracy. He has almost doubled the Texas Education Agency staffing!
He has done this while over 150 schools are closing, and another 150 school districts have moved to four-day weeks. Under Greg Abbott’s watch, thousands of great, experienced teachers have left the classroom and are being replaced by uncertified first-time teachers.
It’s time to get professional public school teachers back leading classrooms in Texas and in our great nation!
As Texas Goes, So Goes the Nation…
I heard Hinojosa speak in 2025 at the Network for Public Education meeting in Columbus, Ohio. Her speech was inspiring. She strikes me as a person who cares deeply for others. Seeing her connect with parents, Republicans and Democrats, gives me real hope.
I am excited to see there is a high probability that Hinojosa will be the next Governor of Texas, that Texan parents and their children will have access to better public schools. That public schools can improve across party lines!
It’s obvious that Hinojosa listens to parents from both parties and public school advocates like Lynn Davenport. Lynn has been a real fighter for public education.
As Texas goes, so goes the nation…in this case, if Hinojosa wins, if she becomes the new Texas governor, that would be a very good thing, not only for Texan students, but for all of America’s children and the nation!
Reference
Goldberg, M. (2026, October 9). Republicans Are Worried About Gena Hinojosa. In Texas, I Saw Why. The New York Times. Retrieved at https://www.nytimes.com/2026/10/09/opinion/gina-hinojosa-governor-texas.html
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