‘A critical time for FWISD’: Officials react to planned Texas Education Agency takeover of district

The Texas Education Agency will take over Fort Worth ISD. Here’s how local and state officials are reacting to the announcement.

FORT WORTH, Texas — It’s official: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will take over Fort Worth ISD. 

Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath announced Wednesday that he’s ordered the appointment of a board of managers, a conservator to manage the district’s finances, as well as a superintendent.

The announcement, which has been anticipated for months, comes after one of the district’s schools, Leadership Academy at Forest Oak 6th Grade, maintained an unacceptable rating for five consecutive years, according to the 2023 TEA A-F ratings, which, under state law, triggers mandatory closure or the possibility of a state-appointed board. The district has since closed Leadership Academy at Forest Oak 6th Grade and consolidated it into Forest Oak Middle School. 

The district can appeal the decision. The board of managers, conservator, and superintendent will be named after that process. 

In a statement after the announcement, the district’s Board of Trustees said the board is “disappointed by the decision and hopes the matter will be reconsidered.”

“Over the past year, our Board and Administration have worked tirelessly to strengthen instruction and accelerate student outcomes,” said Roxanne Martinez, Board President, in a statement. “Our elected Board is in the best position to drive the sustainable improvements the Commissioner seeks, with measurable progress already underway. We respectfully ask him to reconsider his decision as we continue partnering with families, educators, and state leaders to keep this momentum going for every Fort Worth ISD student.”

Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker said she will remain a “steadfast supporter of Fort Worth ISD” and said she believes current FWISD Superintendent Dr. Karen Molinar should be up for consideration to remain as the district’s superintendent.

“I’ve had the opportunity to express my full support for Dr. Molinar, how hard she’s worked in the last year, and that improvement we’ve seen in Fort Worth ISD should be commended,” Parker said. “The initiation of a board of managers: These will be individuals from the Fort Worth community. The number one thing we have to focus on is our kids and students across the city of Fort Worth.”

Watch Mayor Parker’s full press conference here:

“I will be a steadfast supporter for Fort Worth ISD as I have been over the four years that I’ve been mayor. Importantly, calling it when I see it, the things that are good and bad, but right now they need support,” Parker added.

Fort Worth City Council member Michael Crain said the move “gives the direction our district needs to accelerate meaningful reforms under Superintendent Karen Molinar’s leadership.” 

“After months of uncertainty, Fort Worth ISD now has a clear path forward to improve academic outcomes for our students. This decision gives the direction our district needs to accelerate meaningful reforms under Superintendent Karen Molinar’s leadership. The progress already seen has been significant—A-rated campuses increased from 10 to 17, F-rated campuses dropped from 31 to 11, and more than 10,000 additional students now attend campuses rated A through C, demonstrating that investments in literacy instruction, staff development, and facility improvements are working,” Crain said. “I want to sincerely thank the Fort Worth ISD Board of Trustees for their years of service and steadfast commitment to the academic success of our students. Their dedication to public education and to the children of Fort Worth has laid the groundwork for continued progress. Now is the time for our community to rally together. This is not about blame or politics—it’s about ensuring every child in Fort Worth ISD has the opportunity to learn, succeed, and access the American dream through quality public education.”

Fort Worth City Council member Carlos Flores, though, said the state takeover is “unfortunate given the measurable improvements made by Superintendent Karen Molinar and the FWISD school board.”

“This is a critical time for FWISD. I think it is unfortunate given the measurable improvements made by Superintendent Karen Molinar and the FWISD School Board. I encourage Commissioner Morath to reach out to our Fort Worth community to fully inform them how this would affect them,” said Flores. “Local control matters. I trust the decisions of our elected school board members who are answerable to parents and taxpayers in their districts. They are best attuned to the needs of the schools and students.” Flores said. 

Fort Worth City Council member Chris Nettles went further, and characterized the state takeover is “nothing more than a political stunt by those in power down in Austin.”

“The State’s takeover of FWISD is nothing more than a political stunt by those in power down in Austin. This decision hurts our schools, our teachers, our parents, and—most importantly—our students,” Nettles said. “It’s no secret that our schools have faced challenges, but we have seen real, measurable progress in the right direction. The FWISD School Board has worked tirelessly to improve student learning outcomes and strengthen our district. I stand with the FWISD School Board, our Superintendent, our dedicated teachers, our parents, and our precious students. I call on Austin to stop playing politics and focus on what truly matters—our students and their future.”

State Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, called the TEA takeover “an important step.”

“Today’s action by Commissioner Morath is an important step in a process mandated by state law due to FWISD’s consistently low accountability scores. The district remains at the lowest level of performance amongst large urban districts in the state, and I am hopeful that this bold action will usher in the changes needed to ensure students receive the quality education they deserve. The state previously took similar action in Houston ISD, which has resulted in a significant increase in student learning and test scores. I will be monitoring this process closely as the state works to ensure a brighter future for the students in FWISD,” King said.

State Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, who recently announced that she’s running for governor, called the state takeover “a crisis of Gov. Greg Abbott’s own making.”

“The state takeover of Fort Worth ISD is a crisis of Greg Abbott’s own making. Under his guidance, the state legislature has drastically underfunded neighborhood schools, starving them of needed resources in places like Fort Worth ISD by billions of dollars—routing the money instead to his friends and political donors,” said Hinojosa. “Abbott’s goal is simple: He wants to end public education in Texas, and privatize every step of the process so that he and his friends can profit off of our kids.”