FORT WORTH, Texas — The Texas Education Agency (TEA) announced on Thursday that the state will be taking over the Fort Worth Independent School District, appointing a new school board and conservator to run the district.

What You Need To Know

The state takeover of Fort Worth ISD follows months of speculation on whether the state would intervene after one of the district’s schools received its fifth consecutive unacceptable academic accountability rating during the 2022-23 school year, which was not released until earlier this year due to litigation

In a letter to the district, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said that he will be appointing a board of managers, superintendent and conservator to lead the district. But Morath did say he would consider the current superintendent as a candidate for his superintendent appointment 

The members of the state-appointed board of managers will be announced at a later date, but Morath said they will be made up of Fort Worth community members

Over the past 30 years, the TEA has taken over governance of 15 school districts

The takeover follows months of speculation on whether the state would intervene after one of the district’s schools received its fifth consecutive unacceptable academic accountability rating during the 2022-23 school year, which was not released until earlier this year due to litigation. That school — the Leadership Academy at Forest Oak 6th Grade — closed after that school year.

In a letter to the district, TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said that he will be appointing a board of managers, superintendent and conservator to lead the district. But Morath did say he would consider the current superintendent as a candidate for his superintendent appointment.

“I will appoint members of the board of managers, the conservator, and the superintendent as permitted by law after appropriate appeals processes have concluded,” the letter said.

The members of the state-appointed board of managers will be announced at a later date, but Morath said they will be made up of Fort Worth community members. People can apply to serve on the board on the TEA’s website. The new superintendent and conservator will also be announced at a later date.

Morath also noted that during the 2022-23 school year, 60% of Fort Worth ISD’s campuses earned either an “F” or a “D” rating for performance.

“Beyond the performance of individual campuses that are unacceptable, Fort Worth ISD has demonstrated a chronic inability to support students to learn and achieve at high levels,” Morath wrote.

The district’s performance did improve during the 2024-25 school year. The number of “F”-rated campuses dropped from 31 to 11, and the number of “A”-rated campuses increased by 70%.

Despite that, Morath noted in his letter that 20 campuses in the district “have been academically unacceptable for multiple years in a row, including two campuses that have earned unacceptable ratings for four consecutive years.”

“While the total number of D and F rated campuses has improved in Fort Worth ISD in the most recent year relative to the 2022-23 school year, the number of campuses that have been academically unacceptable for consecutive years has more than doubled,” Morath claimed.

The Fort Worth ISD Board of Trustees acknowledged the news on Thursday.

“While the Board respects the Commissioner’s commitment to student success and accountability, it is disappointed by the decision and hopes the matter will be reconsidered,” the board said in a news release. “The Board firmly believes that local, elected leadership is best positioned to sustain Fort Worth ISD’s progress and continue improving outcomes for every student in the district.”

The board said it is reviewing the decision and will explore all available options.

“Over the past year, our Board and Administration have worked tirelessly to strengthen instruction and accelerate student outcomes,” said Roxanne Martinez, the board president, in the release. “Our elected Board is in the best position to drive the sustainable improvements the Commissioner seeks, with measurable progress already underway. We respectfully ask him to reconsider his decision as we continue partnering with families, educators, and state leaders to keep this momentum going for every Fort Worth ISD student.”

This isn’t the first state takeover in recent years. In 2023, the TEA took over the Houston Independent School District after one of its high schools received multiple consecutive failing ratings. Over the summer, the state expanded its takeover to go through June 2027.

Over the past 30 years, the TEA has taken over governance of 15 school districts.

Fort Worth ISD serves over 70,000 students and employs nearly 10,000 staff.

Here is the full letter from Morath: