State Education Commissioner Mike Morath, right, talks with State Board of Education Member Brandon Hall while touring William James Middle School on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2025, in Fort Worth.
Amanda McCoy
amccoy@star-telegram.com
State lawmakers emphasized the importance of concentrating on students and the need for community support as a new superintendent and board of managers takes over the Fort Worth school district.
The Texas Education Agency announced early Tuesday that Peter B. Licata will serve as superintendent, leading nine state-appointed trustees who were also named Tuesday. Licata most recently served as superintendent of Broward County Public Schools in Florida.
The development follows October’s news that the state would remove the elected school board and replace it with state appointees after years of failing school ratings. It was announced in March that Karen Molinar would also be replaced as superintendent.
“This isn’t something that the state was eager to do,” said Sen. Phil King, a Weatherford Republican whose state district includes much of the Fort Worth school district. “It was something we were forced to do because Fort Worth was just, had been underperforming in so many categories for so long.”
King said he has talked with Licata on the phone briefly and would like to meet with him soon.
“He’s got an excellent background, and I think he’s really focused on just making sure that we get the school district moving forward as quickly as possible,” King said.
Rep. Charlie Geren, a Fort Worth Republican who met the new superintendent on Tuesday morning, said Licata seemed enthusiastic.
“I hope he does really well,” said Geren, whose brother Pete Geren is chair of the new board of managers.
Rep. Ramon Romero, Jr. a Fort Worth Democrat whose district, like Geren’s, includes part of the Fort Worth school district, referenced Licata’s Tuesday statement, in which he described his “North Star”: students reading on grade level, mastering mathematics, and preparedness for college, a career or military service post graduation.
Based on what he’s read about Licata, Romero said the new superintendent has a “really great history of taking schools that were not doing their best” and improving performance. How that work translates in Texas “remains to be seen,” Romero said.
If he has that kind of success in Fort Worth, Romero said he will be thankful to Licata, as should other Fort Worth residents.
“It won’t come just from him,” Romero said. “It’s going to come from the kids and it’s going to come from the parents, because I think at this point, all of us need to get as engaged as possible.”
The board of managers is made up of:
Texas A&M University School of Law Dean Bobby AhdiehRosa Marie Berdeja, an attorney and chair-elect of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of CommerceFort Worth Attorney Luis GalindoFort Worth ISD Parent and former educator Laurie GeorgePete Geren, a former congressman and the current CEO of the Fort Worth-based Sid W. Richardson FoundationFinance and banking professional Courtney Lewis, who is on the boards of the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce and Housing ChannelFrost Prioleau, a Fort Worth resident who built technology companiesJay Stegall, a Fort Worth native who has worked in the restaurant, retail and consumer packaged goods industriesTennessee Walker, an attorney and Fort Worth ISD parent who is the board chair of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Tarrant County.
King and the other lawmakers interviewed by the Star-Telegram were optimistic about the Board of Manager selections.
“What I’m excited about, really excited about, is that I think there’s a lot of enthusiasm in the community to really make this work and to really support the board of managers, to support the new superintendent,” King said.
Geren said he played no part in the selection process for the board or superintendent, other than writing a letter supporting Molinar. Geren said his brother’s leadership role and initial application came as a surprise.
“Pete’s very much a detailed guy, and he’s not afraid to tackle the problems that are in front of him, and I appreciate that,” Geren said, later adding that his brother “wants what’s best for the children of Fort Worth.”
Romero highlighted the inclusion of Pete Geren, Ahdieh, Galindo and Berdeja.
“I think overall, as disappointed as so many people are that the state had to take over our Fort Worth ISD, we also, for someone like myself that comes from the east side, we have to do better from this point forward, because the decision’s already been made,” he said. “All I care about is this board doing the best they can, this new superintendent doing the best they can, and then turn this back over to the elected body as fast as possible.”
State Sen. Taylor Rehmet, a Fort Worth Democrat whose Senate district covers part of the Fort Worth school district, said the community, parents, teachers and leaders all share the same goal: Student success.
“While I remain skeptical that a takeover by the state is the most effective strategy, I am grateful for the new board members’ and superintendent’s willingness to serve our Community,” he said in a statement. “I look forward to working with them to improve student outcomes, better support our teachers, and restore control of the district to our community-elected board as soon as possible.”
State Rep. John McQueeney, a Fort Worth Republican, said “with new leadership in place, Fort Worth ISD has a real opportunity to move forward and focus on what matters most – student outcomes.” The lawmaker’s House district includes part of the school district.
“Our focus needs to remain on strong classrooms, supporting our teachers, and making sure every student in every corner of Fort Worth has the opportunity to succeed,” McQueeney said in a statement. “After speaking with Dr. Licata this morning, I’m optimistic about the path forward. I’m committed to working with him and with our state and local partners to help deliver real progress for families across our community.”
State Rep. Nicole Collier, a Fort Worth Democrat whose House district also includes part of the school district, expressed concerns about the timing of Tuesday’s announcement.
“The timing of this transition raises serious concerns and appears to be no different than the chaos it is intended to calm,” she said in a statement. “Today, students returned from spring break, board meetings were cancelled, STAAR testing begins next week, and key matters — including teacher contract renewals — remain unresolved.”
Focuses for the Fort Worth ISD board of managers
Romero hopes the Fort Worth school district’s newly appointed superintendent and board of managers will stay focused on students as they take over leadership of Tarrant County’s largest school district.
Resources need to go to where the need is greatest, he said.
“I think that Fort Worth knows where they have to focus, and that means shifting resources from one area to another or from one type of department or another, and making sure that there’s equity throughout our school district,” Romero said. “And, if some areas are struggling more, even with those resources, then we need to shift people.”
King said he hopes the board will take a “hard look” at opportunities to move district-level resources — positions and money — into classrooms.
“All government, state as well, has a tremendous tendency to grow their bureaucracy,” King said. “And so, I’m hoping one of their first things they’ll look at is, particularly at positions, do these really need to be administrative positions or do… we need to push those back down into the classroom, back down into support for classrooms and things like that.”
The district’s new leadership should also focus on supporting teachers, King said. There are many great teachers, but there are also some educators who don’t need to be teaching, he said.
“I want them to identify who those good teachers are and do everything they can to support them,” King said. “And the ones that shouldn’t be there, I hope that they will encourage them to move on to other futures.”
Asked about his hopes for the direction of the board, Rep. Geren said that’s a question better posed to the managers themselves. The solutions to problems that have faced the district are up to them, he said.
“The community needs to give them the support to get the things done that need to be done,” he said. “I don’t know what that is, but I do know that if a kid can’t read, that kid is going to have a problem supporting themselves for the rest of their life, and that needs to be a priority.”
Collier said the school district serves a diverse community facing challenges like economic hardship, healthcare access and systemic inequalities that affect student outcomes. Those realities cannot be ignored when assessing school performance, Collier said.
“Parents, district personnel, and community stakeholders are critical partners in shaping the future of our schools, and their input should continue to guide decision-making every step of the way,” Collier said in the statement. “With the appointment of a Board of Managers and superintendent, accountability is non-negotiable, and if the community cannot hold them accountable, I will.”
Collier promised to work with “all partners involved” to make sure the district’s intervention is about “meaningful investment in our students, support for our teachers, and real, sustainable improvement for our schools,” rather than just oversight.
This story was originally published March 24, 2026 at 2:17 PM.
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Eleanor (Elly) Dearman is a Texas politics and government reporter for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. She’s based in Austin, covering the Legislature and its impact on North Texas. She grew up in Denton and has been a reporter for more than six years.
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