Keller schools trustee Charles Randklev resigned Wednesday to pursue a seat on Keller City Council, he announced in a statement posted to Facebook.
Randklev, elected to Keller ISD in 2021, said he is stepping down as required by state law in order to run for the municipal office. The city of Keller will elect a mayor and two council members — Places 5 and 6 — on May 2. The filing period runs Jan. 15 through Feb. 14.
Randklev did not respond to a Fort Worth Report request for comment.
“My commitment remains the same: I’m focused on families, fiscal responsibility, common-sense leadership and the values that make our community strong,” Randklev wrote. “This isn’t stepping away; it’s stepping forward, where together we can make a greater impact.”
In his announcement, Randklev listed policy priorities from his tenure as trustee, including strengthening school safety measures, “codifying parental rights” and “removing harmful gender ideology from classrooms.”
Randklev previously noted at a January board meeting that he is a Republican and a conservative. His 2024 reelection bid was supported by Patriot Mobile Action, a political action committee that has backed conservative school board candidates across North Texas.
He said he is proud of the board’s work in recent years.
Leadership change follows months of turmoil
His departure comes as the district navigates financial strain, ongoing litigation and lingering community distrust following a failed proposal to split the district into two.
Randklev was one of the leading voices behind a plan to detach the western portion of the district to create a new school system. Current President John Birt, former trustee Micah Young and current trustees Chris Coker and Heather Washington also backed the idea. Former trustee Joni Shaw Smith and current trustee Chelsea Kelly said they were blindsided when the idea was introduced behind closed doors in December 2024 and publicly opposed the split.
The proposal sparked weeks of community backlash, a student walkout, questions from state and local officials and multiple lawsuits alleging violations of the Texas Open Meetings Act. Superintendent Tracy Johnson, who opposed the split, resigned in February.
District officials ultimately abandoned the detachment proposal March 14, citing concerns over how to divide the district’s bond debt.
Meanwhile, the Heritage Homeowners Association and several Keller ISD residents asked a Tarrant County judge to remove Randklev and four colleagues from office, accusing them of conducting board business in secret. Attorneys representing the board have denied those allegations in court filings.
Next steps to fill the seat
The district has not released details on when the resignation takes effect or how trustees plan to fill the vacant seat. The Place 7 seat was not set to be on the ballot until November 2027. Keller ISD officials did not immediately respond to a Report request for comment.
Under state law, a trustee’s signed resignation becomes effective once accepted by the board or on the eighth day after it is submitted — whichever comes first. The remaining trustees can fill the vacancy by appointment or call a special election within 180 days of the vacancy becoming official.
The board used that option twice last year: appointing Washington in January 2024 and Kelly in August 2024 rather than calling elections, citing state deadlines and the cost.
Trustees are scheduled to meet Dec. 18.
Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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