Mike Morath's TEA aided Alpha School AI after 10-3 charter loss

Morath's involvement with Alpha School dates back at least to early 2025, when he supported the company's bid to open a Texas charter school using the same AI technology. The Texas State Board of Education rejected that bid 10 to 3, citing concerns about AI-led teaching, screen time, and unverified claims of dramatic test improvements. Rather than stopping there, Morath and his agency staff pursued an alternative route: direct outreach to public school districts, campus visits, and introductions to superintendents, including the one Morath appointed to lead Houston ISD.

The working relationship extends beyond Morath personally. TEA associate commissioner Andrew Hodge emailed Joe Liemandt, the tech billionaire behind Alpha's AI-learning technology, to discuss piloting the model. Another staffer, Michael Strange, drafted a one-page explainer for districts and celebrated when Fort Davis and Aldine signed on. The agency maintains there was no formal partnership, saying it simply connected interested districts and left the decision to them.

The stakes for Texas students and taxpayers hinge on whether the pilot programs produce measurable gains, and on how the state balances its promotional role against public records law and the board's skepticism. That question is likely to follow Morath into the November governor's race, where his tenure and the Alpha arrangement have already become campaign issues.