Big changes are coming to Fort Worth ISD. The Texas Education Agency announced it is taking over the district, with a stated goal of improving student performance.
But will a state takeover actually work?
Mixed results from past takeovers
CBS News Texas’ I-Team reviewed data and studies on state takeovers and found the results are mixed. While most Texas districts that have been taken over in recent years have statistically shown signs of academic improvement, outcomes have varied.
Research from the Center for Reinventing Public Education found state takeovers can improve student outcomes, but cautioned that “no single approach is a clear winner.”
“For every good example, I think you can point to an example where it crashed and burned and failed to deliver on the promise,” said Ashley Jochim, a researcher with the center. “When you look at this, it really comes down to this nuanced picture where it can be an opportunity to do good things – but just as in life, there are no guarantees.”
Why Fort Worth ISD is being taken over
State takeovers can only be initiated if a school receives a failing grade from the education agency for five consecutive years.
In Fort Worth, that school was the Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade. The district shut down the school before it officially received its fifth “F,” but that didn’t prevent the state from taking action.