FORT WORTH, Texas — Fort Worth Independent School District leaders voted this week to cut dozens of staff positions and close a middle school for refugee students and asylum seekers.
The state-appointed board voted unanimously to close the International Newcomer Academy, a middle school that specializes in helping immigrant students learn English. Fort Worth ISD cited declining enrollment and changing campus conditions as reasons for the closure.
The meeting lasted for hours, starting at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday and ending at around 1 a.m. on Wednesday. The board and superintendent were only recently appointed to their positions last month after the Texas Education Agency (TEA) took over the district because it was not meeting academic standards.
Parents and staff spoke during the public comment period, largely against the board’s plans.
The board also voted to terminate probationary staff and some other employee contracts. According to WFAA, this is the second round of layoffs announced since Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Dr. Peter B. Licata took over.
“Change is hard. This is difficult. I understand, and I’m fine with it. I take this position seriously; I take it seriously for kids,” Licata said during the meeting. “When we look at it, our students are doing the worst in large urban districts in Texas. And no matter how you slice it, no matter how you dice it, our students deserve a lot better.”
It is not clear how many positions were cut.