The question Lake Worth parents and community members pressed Texas education officials with Wednesday night was simple: Why remove schools Superintendent Mark Ramirez?
Inside the Lake Worth High School auditorium, speaker after speaker returned to the same point — not to defend years of low academic achievement but to argue that the district is finally showing signs of movement. Lake Worth ISD’s 3,200 students will pay the price if state leaders force Ramirez out, they said.
The meeting marked the first opportunity for residents to directly question Texas Education Agency officials since the state began its takeover that includes replacing the district’s superintendent. Meanwhile, an appointed board of managers will assume the duties of the locally elected trustees.
A parent of four Lake Worth students and a district employee, Jennifer Burgos, said she came to the meeting to support Ramirez and left without the clarity she expected. Throughout her six years working in Lake Worth schools, she’s never seen leadership like his, she said.
“We needed that fresh air and (Ramirez) brought that fresh air for us,” Burgos, who brought her son, seventh-grader Carlos Zamudio, with her to the meeting, told the Report.
The change feels visible not only in data but in the students she sees every day — including children receiving special education services, she added. She also worries about her own children and the academic gains they have made under Ramirez’s leadership.
“What is gonna happen when they bring new leadership in?” she said.
Steve Lecholop, a Texas Education Agency deputy commissioner, addresses residents of Lake Worth during a community meeting on Jan. 14, 2026. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
‘The students of Lake Worth deserve better’
Steve Lecholop, a Texas Education Agency deputy commissioner, opened the meeting by outlining what he described as the legal “why.”
If any public school campus earns five consecutive years of unacceptable grades on the state’s academic accountability system, Education Commissioner Mike Morath must either order closure of the campus or temporarily take over its operations, he explained.
Marilyn Miller Language Academy triggered the state law after years of poor performance.
“Last year, in that entire campus, only 11% of students were performing on grade level,” Lecholop said.
Districtwide, he said, only 25% of students are reading on grade level, and 17% of kids are proficient in math.
“Certainly, the students of Lake Worth deserve better than this,” he said.
After analyzing data, state leaders decided “the proper remedy in this case was the appointment of a board of managers,” Lecholop said.
The district needs a “fresh start,” he said.
Steve Lecholop, a Texas Education Agency deputy commissioner, addresses Lake Worth residents during a community meeting on Jan. 14. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
‘Fresh start’ draws backlash
Several speakers questioned Lecholop’s repeated use of that phrase — noting that Ramirez has been that needed reset.
Rebekah May, a Lake Worth ISD teacher who was awarded elementary teacher of the year in 2024, told state officials: “Ramirez has been that fresh start for this district. He’s truly come in and really fought for our kids.”
Forcing another leadership change would hit a district already struggling financially, she said. Ramirez was hired in May 2025, following the retirement of former Superintendent Rose Mary Neshyba.
“We already lack those interventions that we need for our students because we don’t have the financial support we need from the state,” she said. “Now we have to pay for a conservator when we could be keeping someone who already knows our students and is doing the right thing for them.”
The night was emotional for some.
Adina Soto-Harris, a bus driver in the district, described Ramirez as a hands-on leader who even rides school buses to connect with staff and students. As she spoke, her voice cracked and her breathing quickened.
“What justification would there be for removing someone who has such a profoundly positive impact in our school district?” Harris asked.
Lecholop acknowledged Ramirez’s standing in the community but said Morath wants an executive-level reset.
“Ultimately, the commissioner decided that the systems’ issues in the district required a complete leadership fresh start,” he said. “Mr. Ramirez is not responsible for anything that’s happened here, but the commissioner did decide that a fresh start, a complete reset from a leadership perspective is what was needed.”
In the most recent state academic accountability ratings, Lake Worth ISD received an overall D rating, with five of the district’s six campuses rated D or F, according to state data.
Lake Worth residents, including trustees Cristina Gallagher, Cindy Burt and Mary Coker, clap as questions are asked about Texas’ takeover of their schools during a Jan. 14 meeting. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report/CatchLight Local/Report for America)
Students at the center of concerns
Concerns went beyond the superintendent.
Some stressed that students are worried about losing activities. Others asked whether agency officials considered student voices in the takeover decision, particularly for children who have struggled academically. Another speaker asked what would happen to special education services and staffing.
Lecholop tried to assure the community. Students will still enjoy extracurricular activities. Special education will remain an essential focus, he said.
“The band is gonna be there. The choir is gonna be there. The cheer is gonna be there,” Lecholop said.
Anxieties over money and staffing also surfaced — especially as state officials confirmed the district bears the costs of the oversight.
Mary Coker, a newly elected school trustee, asked if the district pays for a conservator, a superintendent buyout and the new superintendent’s salary.
Lecholop confirmed they must foot the bill for all three.
“If the state’s going to take over, it would be nice if they could help offset some of the costs of them taking over,” Coker said.
Teacher Condi Graham asked what support the Texas Education Agency will provide to students and teachers.
The deputy commissioner pointed to resources available through the agency, describing a range of state programs districts can opt into, including competitive grant opportunities and instructional supports.
For example, Lake Worth ISD leaders recently adopted Bluebonnet Learning, a set of state-developed reading and math materials designed to support classroom instruction.
While Lecholop said those programs come with additional funding if districts apply and are approved, he acknowledged that participation is optional and does not result in new formula funding tied to a state takeover.
Despite Lecholop’s answers, Burgos still felt unsettled by the uncertainty, she said — not just for her own children but for the students she sees on campus.
“I didn’t feel as informed as I expected to be,” she said.
Kelton Young, a Lake Worth graduate and former district employee who now serves on the Lake Worth Education Foundation, said he came because, at the end of the day, it’s about the students.
“I just want what’s best for the kids in the community,” Young said. “How can we lift them up? How can we move them forward?”
And he said the community’s biggest question remains the same one that opened the meeting.
“Why is Dr. Ramirez not able to continue what he’s already started?” Young said.
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.
This <a target=”_blank” href=”https://fortworthreport.org/2026/01/15/lake-worth-parents-press-state-why-force-out-superintendent-now/”>article</a> first appeared on <a target=”_blank” href=”https://fortworthreport.org”>Fort Worth Report</a> and is republished here under a <a target=”_blank” href=”https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/”>Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<img src=”https://i0.wp.com/fortworthreport.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/cropped-favicon.png?resize=150%2C150&quality=80&ssl=1″ style=”width:1em;height:1em;margin-left:10px;”>
<img id=”republication-tracker-tool-source” src=”https://fortworthreport.org/?republication-pixel=true&post=369872&ga4=2820184429″ style=”width:1px;height:1px;”><script> PARSELY = { autotrack: false, onload: function() { PARSELY.beacon.trackPageView({ url: “https://fortworthreport.org/2026/01/15/lake-worth-parents-press-state-why-force-out-superintendent-now/”, urlref: window.location.href }); } } </script> <script id=”parsely-cfg” src=”//cdn.parsely.com/keys/fortworthreport.org/p.js”></script>