Parent Marisol Herrera has sat through her share of listening sessions in Fort Worth ISD.
When the district’s Texas-appointed board of managers announced a new round of community meetings, Herrera showed up at last week’s workshop with a message: Listening isn’t enough.
“The frustrating part is that we speak — and then we’re right back in the same place,” said Herrera, a leader in a districtwide PTA group and parent advocacy organization. “We’d like to see action connected to it.”
The sessions come at a pivotal time, as the district prepares for its first full school year under takeover leadership. Managers said they will use the sessions to shape their goals and priorities for the 2027-28 budget.
“We may not always agree on the path forward, but there is far more agreement than disagreement on one fundamental point, and that is that we want our students to truly thrive,” Herrera said.
Listening sessions begin at 5:30 p.m.:
June 22 at North Side High School.
June 24 at Southwest High School.
June 25 at Benbrook Middle-High School.
June 29 at Paschal High School.
June 30 at Dunbar High School.
The listening sessions will continue through August. Managers plan to ask community groups and organizations to host sessions to hear from residents.
Superintendent Peter Licata also plans to hold his own listening sessions.
Herrera and fellow FWISD parent Dionna Deardorff serve on the leadership team of Families Organized and Resisting Takeover, or FORT.
Deardorff urged managers to partner with groups embedded in neighborhoods, including FORT, the district’s special education PTA and Parent Shield.
“I know there are families, particularly on our east side and north side, who have felt ignored,” Deardorff said. “But I believe this is our chance to change that. This administration and this board are telling us they’re willing to listen, so please show up one more time.”
AJ Crabill, a school governance training coach, told managers that they must listen to the visions and values of the community as they represent residents. The listening sessions will bring different perspectives than the voices who speak out during public comment at board meetings, Crabill said.
“The public commenters are not a proxy for listening to the vision and values of the community as a whole,” he said. “It’s a good start. It’s great to hear the people who actually do have the privilege and the wherewithal to make it there, but your obligation extends well beyond that.”
FWISD has faced upheaval in the past year since it became clear Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath would intervene and remove elected trustees from power. However, parent Taylor Duncan said she sees this as a moment when appointed leadership can build trust with parents and other community members.
“ We have a real opportunity to work together — the board, the district, and the community — to get our schools back on track for the city of Fort Worth,” said Duncan, president of the Daggett Elementary PTA. “I believe that our community wants that. We’re asking the board to engage and let us help.”
Disclosure: FWISD manager Pete Geren leads the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, a financial supporter of the Fort Worth Report. FWISD manager Laurie George is a member of the Report’s reader advisory council. 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.
Jacob Sanchez is education editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez.
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