Voters elected sisters-in-law to the Lake Worth ISD board as the district faces possible state intervention, according to unofficial early voting results.
Returns showed incumbent Tammy Thomas and her sister-in-law, Mary Wilson Coker, winning in their respective races, according to unofficial early vote totals from Tarrant County elections.
Thomas won the Place 1 race with 69.5% of the vote over challenger Donald Bivens, according to the early returns as of 12:05 a.m. Wednesday.
Coker led the Place 2 race with 68.2% of the vote, ahead of incumbent Bret Tooke, who joined the board in 2018.
Board President Armando Velazquez ran unopposed for Place 3.
The results come as Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath weighs whether to appoint a state board of managers or close Marilyn Miller Language Academy, which has received five consecutive F grades on the state’s academic accountability system.
Thomas, first elected in 2013, said she sought another term after the district received a June warning letter from the Texas Education Agency.
“Considering the position that we are in … I felt obligated to serve another term and to try to help us recover from this,” she said.
Coker, a retired school counselor and substitute teacher, said she is encouraged by early improvements under Superintendent Mark Ramirez, hired in May.
“It’s a process,” Coker said. “I feel like we’re moving in the right direction.”
Both women said they support cooperating closely with state officials as the district works to regain stability.
The two ran low-budget campaigns: Thomas reported a $100 contribution from Lake Worth city council member Sherrie Watkins and spent about $1,300; Coker reported no fundraising and similar expenses.
The new board will soon confront whatever decision Morath makes about state action — whether that means retaining local control or yielding authority to a board of managers.
Texas Education Agency officials have not announced when Morath will decide whether to appoint a board of managers.
If he does, appointed members would assume full governing authority — approving budgets, adopting policy and evaluating the superintendent — while elected trustees remain in office without power.
Editor’s note: This story was published Nov. 4, 2025, and updated at 8:21 a.m. Nov. 5 with unofficial results.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
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