Ahead of its first full school year under state control, Fort Worth ISD has more than 200 teaching vacancies that need to be filled across the district, records show.
According to public records obtained by WFAA, the district has 213 vacancies across 89 divisions.
South Hills High School and Como Success Academy each have the most vacant positions, seven.
This comes as the district is in the midst of a transition to state control, as ruled by the Texas Education Association. The district’s new state-appointed board had its first meeting late last month, where it promised transparency and improvements.
The district also has a new state-appointed superintendent, Peter Licata, who is being paid $1,384.62 a day on an interim basis as the district tackles a $40 million deficit.
Licata said his immediate focus is improving classroom instruction, starting with teacher recruitment and pay. He floated the possibility of significantly higher salaries for top-performing teachers in struggling schools, potentially reaching $110,000 to $120,000 annually, though funding details remain unclear.
“That is what we’re working on,” he told WFAA during a sit-down interview. “I am very confident. I’m not confident. I’m very confident we will be able to compete, if not beat, the other local ISDs. I just went through the budget, and I know we’re $40 million in debt, but that’s going to change real soon.”
The state takeover was triggered in October 2025 after one campus received a fifth consecutive failing academic rating, as required under Texas law. Licata replaces former superintendent Karen Molinar, who had led the district since March 2025.
TEA Commissioner Mike Morath previously announced he’ll assess academic progress in two years. If improvement isn’t sufficient, he’ll then reassess after another two years. State-appointed leadership could last upwards of four years before it returns to locally elected control.