Texas Governor Greg Abbott has handed Aaron Kinsey another term at the helm of the state’s most powerful education oversight body — and if Kinsey’s track record is any indication, he’s not planning to coast.
Abbott reappointed the Midland Republican as Chair of the Texas State Board of Education, extending his leadership through April 1, 2028. The move cements Kinsey’s grip on a role he’s held since January 2024 — one that puts him at the center of curriculum battles, textbook debates, and the stewardship of one of the largest education endowments in the country.
A Fast Rise in Texas Education Politics
It’s been a remarkably swift ascent for a man who was, not long ago, a political newcomer. Kinsey was elected to represent SBOE District 15 — a sprawling West Texas region anchored by Midland — in November 2022. Abbott tapped him as Chair in December 2023, and voters sent him back to the seat in November 2024. That’s a lot of momentum in a short window.
Still, the speed of that rise might raise an eyebrow or two. Kinsey himself has acknowledged it. “Despite being the first freshman appointed to this in over 20 years, I was selected to Chair the Strategic Planning and Policy Committee,” he noted, adding that the work ahead is substantial: “This important fund supports public education and we have much work to accomplish to ensure it will continue to be here in perpetuity.”
The $55 Billion Question
That “important fund” is no small matter. Kinsey oversees the Texas Permanent School Fund — a $55 billion endowment that helps bankroll public education across the state. It’s one of the largest sovereign wealth-style education funds in the nation, and managing it requires a combination of financial discipline and long-term thinking that doesn’t always come naturally to elected officials.
So who is this guy, exactly? Kinsey, 41, brings a genuinely unusual résumé to the boardroom. He’s CEO of American Patrols, Inc., where he’s overseen what his official biography describes as 20-times growth in the company. Before that, he managed a $450 million commercial real estate portfolio. He also goes by CEO of Bear Capital, according to some profiles. Clearly, the man keeps busy.
His academic credentials are just as layered. Kinsey holds a BBA and MS from Texas A&M and an MBA from Harvard — a combination that, in Texas political circles, carries its own particular brand of credibility, as documented by policy researchers tracking the board’s membership.
What the Reappointment Signals
That’s the catch, though. Abbott’s decision to reappoint Kinsey isn’t just a procedural formality — it’s a statement of direction. The Texas SBOE has long been a flashpoint for ideological battles over what gets taught in classrooms and how history is framed in textbooks. Having a chair aligned with the governor’s political vision matters enormously when those fights flare up, as they inevitably do.
Kinsey has served in the chair role since January 2024, giving him a full year of institutional experience before this latest reappointment. He also serves as the incumbent Republican candidate for the District 15 seat, a position tracked by educator advocacy groups including the TCTA, which monitors board races closely given their direct impact on classroom policy.
The reappointment term runs through 2028 — meaning Kinsey will be in that chair through the next presidential cycle, the next round of curriculum adoption fights, and whatever new pressures land on Texas public education in the years ahead. For the parents, teachers, and students whose lives are shaped by what this board decides, that’s not an abstraction. It’s the calendar they’re living on.
Whether Kinsey’s blend of boardroom instincts and political ambition turns out to be exactly what Texas schools need — or something more complicated — is a story that’s only just getting started.
