COMMISSIONER OF EDUCATION. The office of commissioner of education, established as an appointive position by the Gilmer-Aiken Laws in 1949, replaced the elective office of State Superintendent of Public Instruction (1884-1949).qv The commissioner was to be elected by the State Board of Education, with the consent of the Texas Senate, and was to serve as director of the Texas Education Agency. Other duties included supervising the Texas Council of Public Junior Colleges and appointing, with approval of the board of directors of the Texas Education Agency, the superintendents of the Texas School for the Deaf and Texas School for the Blind.qqv By 1970 supervision of junior colleges was no longer part of the commissioner's duties. In 1991 selection of the commissioner of education was changed to nomination by the board with appointment to a four-year term by the governor and confirmation by the Senate. If the governor does not approve of the candidate, he can ask the board for other nominations.
