After a Lake Worth ISD school received an ‘F’ rating for the fifth consecutive year, TEA commissioner Mike Morath will visit the district.
LAKE WORTH, Texas — For the second time this year, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner Mike Morath is visiting a Tarrant County school district after one of its schools received too many ‘F’ ratings.
Lake Worth ISD faces a potential state takeover after newly released TEA A-F school accountability ratings showed an elementary school failing for a fifth consecutive year, WFAA previously reported. The school in question, Marilyn Miller Language Academy, received a 55 out of 100 in the latest TEA ratings release.
The elementary school enrolls just over 500 students, 91.2% of whom come from low-income families and 43.6% of whom are emerging bilingual learners, according to TEA data previously reported by WFAA.
When a school receives five consecutive failing grades, state law requires either a mandatory closure of the school or the state must appoint a new school board in an effort to turn the district around.
Morath will visit the district on Tuesday, Oct. 21, before deciding the fate of the Marilyn Miller Language Academy and the district as a whole.
Lake Worth ISD, as an entire district, received a “D” for 2025, which was an improvement from the F it received in 2024, but still the lowest grade received in North Texas. All but one of the district’s six schools received an ‘F.”
The district says it has a data-driven plan to turn the district around.
“We understand where we are as a district, and we see this as an opportunity to grow,” said Armando Velazquez, Lake Worth ISD Board President. “With a clear plan, a committed team, a sense of urgency, and a belief in the potential of every student, we are confident that the work we do today will lead to a stronger, more successful tomorrow for our entire district.”
In a meeting after the ratings were released, Superintendent Dr. Mark Martinez discussed the district’s top priorities moving forward:
Transparent communication and board unityFocus on student outcomes and academic excellence (emphasis on math and reading language arts)Cultivating a positive and welcoming culture
In August, Morath visited Fort Worth ISD, the other Tarrant County School District at risk of a state takeover. While there, he indicated that he would make a decision about the fate of the district over the next three months.