{"id":18396,"date":"2025-10-24T00:09:12","date_gmt":"2025-10-24T00:09:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/18396\/"},"modified":"2025-10-24T00:09:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-24T00:09:12","slug":"frustration-cautious-optimism-expressed-by-elected-officials-in-wake-of-fwisd-takeover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/18396\/","title":{"rendered":"Frustration, cautious optimism expressed by elected officials in wake of FWISD takeover"},"content":{"rendered":"

Frustration and cautious optimism permeated across Fort Worth\u2019s local and state officials as news of Texas\u2019 takeover of FWISD<\/a> spread on Thursday.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Some lamented the loss of elected trustees who know the students and district, while others hoped it will bring necessary changes to turnaround failing schools. Many stressed the need for transparency.<\/p>\n

\u201cI truly believe in local control,\u201d said Fort Worth City Council member Deborah Peoples, echoing the sentiments of several fellow council members and Mayor Mattie Parker. \u201cLocal control allows us to meet the needs of our constituents much better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Peoples, who represents the majority of east Fort Worth and the historic Stop Six neighborhood, feels the takeover is premature and doesn\u2019t take into account the district\u2019s recent upward trend<\/a> seen in 2025\u2019s STAAR test <\/a>results.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want the state to acknowledge that and understand that there are some hardworking people here who are working very hard to improve student scores,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Under the takeover<\/a>, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath will replace Fort Worth ISD\u2019s elected trustees with a board of managers that he appoints. District Superintendent Karen Molinar, who entered her role last year<\/a>, also faces potential replacement.<\/p>\n

Student success is vital to the city\u2019s future, Mayor Mattie Parker said at a news conference addressing the takeover Thursday. As mayor, she said it\u2019s her duty to \u201creally ask for things to be different\u201d as she did last year with her letter to the school board urging them to implement a turnaround plan<\/a>. That letter was signed by all 10 City Council members, some former mayors and other community leaders.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe will no longer be a successful city if we don\u2019t care about every single child in every single classroom across the city of Fort Worth,\u201d Parker said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Moving forward, she plans to prioritize \u201cpositive messaging\u201d around the takeover.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Council member Mia Hall, who is also a FWISD executive, said in a statement she recognizes \u201cthe deep concern many in our community are feeling.\u201d She hopes a continued dialogue between local and state officials will ensure stability for students and a stronger school district.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cMy priority remains to ensure that our students, families and educators are supported through this transition,\u201d Hall said. \u201cWhile accountability and improvement are essential, change must be guided by collaboration, transparency and a genuine commitment to student success.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Fort Worth City Council member Mia Hall, a Fort Worth ISD executive and former Crowley ISD school board member, addresses attendees of the Fort Worth Report\u2019s primary debates Feb. 8, 2024, at Texas Wesleyan University. (Camilo Diaz | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n

Three former Fort Worth mayors \u2014 Betsy Price, Mike Moncrief and Kenneth Barr \u2014 said while they support local control over state control, they see the takeover as necessary.<\/p>\n

Moncrief, who represented the city from 2003 to 2011, described the school district in its current failing academic state as the \u201cweakest link in the chain in Fort Worth.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

He supports the takeover so long as it remains focused on identifying \u201cpermanent and meaningful solutions that are sustainable with outcomes that are measurable,\u201d he said, because students deserve a world-class education.<\/p>\n

The takeover was triggered by one of the Fort Worth campuses failing to meet state academic accountability standards for five consecutive years. Morath said state law left him no choice but to intervene. The district closed that campus<\/a>, Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade, at the end of the 2023-24 school year.<\/p>\n

Fort Worth ISD\u2019s recent performance uptick comes after several years of lagging behind state averages and showing declining literacy performance<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Moncrief is not yet sure if the state takeover will result in the needed changes, but he is sure of one thing: \u201cIt couldn\u2019t get any worse.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have to do what\u2019s necessary to provide these children the chance that so many of us have had that they won\u2019t unless we improve the quality of their education,\u201d Moncrief said. \u201cFor that, I don\u2019t think there are any apologies necessary to move forward in the direction that the state has chosen to go.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barr and Price said they hope Morath keeps Molinar as superintendent, saying they found her leadership effective and stabilizing. Molinar has spent nearly 30 years in FWISD.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not something I welcome, but if this intervention leads to real, lasting improvements for students, it could be a positive turning point,\u201d said Barr, who is \u201cdeeply concerned\u201d about the takeover.\u00a0<\/p>\n

State Rep. Ramon Romero, a Fort Worth Democrat, said he \u201cexpects big things\u201d from Morath as he executes the takeover.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI have high expectations for any work that he does here in Fort Worth because I\u2019m not from Houston but I\u2019m from Fort Worth, and he\u2019s going to have to hear from me if I hear from my constituents,\u201d Romero said.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fort Worth residents must \u201cget fully involved\u201d in the takeover and consider who among the community would best serve students and families on the state-appointed board of managers, he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIf there are people that believe in education and have something to offer the students at Fort Worth ISD, they should rise to the occasion and stand up,\u201d Romero said.<\/p>\n

Price, who represented Fort Worth as mayor for 10 years before Parker took office, said the state takeover \u201cneeded to happen,\u201d despite improvements seen over the past year. However, she stressed that the district will have local control with a state-appointed board of managers made up of locals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"\"Former Mayor Betsy Price speaks during a media preview of Fort Worth\u2019s new City Hall on March 24, 2025. (Billy Banks | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n

She said it\u2019s \u201cimperative\u201d that local officials outside the school district keep a seat at the table and continue dialogue with Texas Education Agency officials as the takeover plays out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cAt some point, the whole city has to stand up and say, \u2018Wait a minute, what do you mean our kids aren\u2019t at grade level?\u2019\u201d Price said. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s on the table right now. That\u2019s been done. We have to keep that pressure on people.\u201d<\/p>\n

Council member Carlos Flores said as a parent, he wants to see the state-appointed managers clearly lay out their timeline, methods and criteria to improve the district. He said he\u2019s concerned about how the intervention could disrupt progress.<\/p>\n

Flores, who said he\u2019s actively involved in his children\u2019s education, hopes TEA officials organize public outreach to ensure residents are informed on what its plans are, and to ensure Texas officials are in touch with community needs.<\/p>\n

\"(MariaCouncil member Carlos Flores attends Eddie Garc\u00eda\u2019s first public remarks after being named the next Fort Worth police chief Aug. 22, 2025. (Maria Crane | Fort Worth Report\/CatchLight Local\/Report for America)<\/p>\n

Council member Chris Nettles called the takeover a \u201cpolitical stunt\u201d and called on TEA officials to \u201cstop playing politics\u201d and focus on students in a statement shared to social media.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s no secret that our schools have faced challenges, but we have seen real, measurable progress in the right direction,\u201d Nettles wrote.<\/p>\n

Sen. Phil King, a Weatherford Republican who attended Fort Worth schools and represents parts of FWISD, said in a statement that the takeover is an \u201cimportant step in a process mandated by state law,\u201d noting the district\u2019s consistently low scores.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cI am hopeful that this bold action will usher in the changes needed to ensure students receive the quality education they deserve,\u201d the statement read.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Council member Charles Lauersdorf posted on social media that while he finds it disappointing to see local control taken away, it\u2019s also an opportunity to \u201creset and refocus\u201d on students. He wrote that he hopes the process brings accountability and \u201crenewed energy\u201d to schools.<\/p>\n

In a text message, Lauersdorf, whose district covers Keller ISD, said the takeover should remind Texas schools to prioritize education, and that \u201cpolitics have no place in the classroom.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said Keller ISD\u2019s strong performance will only remain if its priorities stay on the students.<\/p>\n

Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, noted the complexities facing Fort Worth schools, saying that state leaders also bear responsibility. In a statement, she stressed skepticism about TEA\u2019s role and its ability to genuinely serve the needs of local students.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor far too long, students in Fort Worth ISD have faced systemic challenges that extend beyond the classroom,\u201d she wrote. \u201cPersistent food insecurity, the struggle to earn livable wages, and the rising costs of health care make it difficult to point the finger to one cause.\u201d<\/p>\n

As the state moves forward, Price advises FWISD parents to \u201cremain vigilant\u201d in advocating for their children.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen there is a board assigned, (parents) need to let them know what they want for these kids,\u201d Price said. \u201cThey need to stay on top of it, but nobody needs to panic. I think this is a huge step.\u201d<\/p>\n

Education reporters Jacob Sanchez and Matthew Sgroi contributed reporting.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cecilia Lenzen and Drew Shaw are government accountability reporters for the Fort Worth Report. Contact them at cecilia.lenzen@fortworthreport.org<\/a> and drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n

Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n

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