The Texas Education Agency will take control of the Fort Worth Independent School District.
The district serves more than 70,000 students and is replacing its elected board with a state-appointed panel in what will be the second-largest school district takeover in Texas history.
The Texas Tribune reported that state Education Commissioner Mike Morath announced Thursday that the state’s intervention follows repeated academic failures at one campus and poor overall performance districtwide.
He cited state data showing that only about one-third of Fort Worth students are meeting grade-level expectations and that 20 campuses have been rated “academically unacceptable” for multiple years.
In a letter to the district, Morath said the board had “failed the students of Fort Worth ISD” through “action and inaction,” adding that the agency’s intervention is necessary to restore academic progress.
Morath also plans to appoint a new superintendent. Current Superintendent Karen Molinar, who began her role earlier this year, will be considered for the post.
A conservator will be named to ensure the district supports its lowest-performing schools and follows improvement plans. The district may appeal the decision next week.
Fort Worth’s board of trustees said it was “disappointed” and urged the agency to reconsider.
Molinar noted that the district had already launched efforts to revitalize struggling campuses, including replacing staff and adding resources at seven schools.
She said the district remains committed to “getting results for our students.”
State law requires takeovers when a campus receives failing grades for five straight years. The Fort Worth district closed one school, Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade, after it triggered that threshold. The campus had served many refugee and immigrant students.
Nearby, the Lake Worth school district may soon face similar scrutiny, as Morath recently toured its campuses. Three other districts — Beaumont, Connally, and Wichita Falls — also risk state action after new accountability results were released this year.
The Fort Worth district enrolls mostly Hispanic students, and about three-quarters are considered at risk of dropping out. Nearly 40% participate in bilingual or English language learning programs.
Gov. Greg Abbott’s office backed the education agency’s decision, saying a “strong accountability system” is key to giving children “the best education possible.”
Texas has increased its reliance on state takeovers to address academic underperformance.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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