When the state announced it would take over leadership for Fort Worth\u00a0ISD in October, we knew to expect major changes.<\/p>\n
But we didn\u2019t expect almost 800 teachers to resign<\/a>. These teachers submitted their resignations following the arrival of state-appointed district leadership in March, our newsroom colleague Silas Allen reported. \u00a0<\/p>\n The departure of this many teachers is jarring, even as we recognize that the state takeover was needed. For the sake of students, Fort Worth ISD must find a way to stem teacher resignations and to recruit aggressively to fill vacant positions.\u00a0<\/p>\n There is no doubt that Fort Worth ISD needed change<\/a>. In 2022-23, over half of the schools in the district received D or F rankings. \u00a0And this underperformance couldn\u2019t be blamed on learning losses from the COVID-19 pandemic alone. In the year before the pandemic, only 35% of students in the district were meeting grade level standards.<\/p>\n School districts have a responsibility to their students, and under previous leadership, we weren\u2019t seeing the high-level outcomes students need to succeed in their lives.\u00a0<\/p>\n Pushback is guaranteed whenever reforms are introduced, and some people will resist them no matter what. But this massive volume of resignations should prompt Fort Worth ISD leaders to zero in on the main reasons for teachers\u2019 departures so that they can address or mitigate fears and concerns. For instance, the district rolled out scripted lessons in the fall, and teachers voiced frustration about delays getting those lessons starting in the spring semester, according to Allen\u2019s reporting.\u00a0<\/p>\n Teachers, especially those who have continually produced high-achieving students, deserve the opportunity to have their voices heard.<\/p>\n When new Superintendent Peter Licata arrived in the district in March, he promised the takeover would mean good things \u00a0for “excellent teachers.” Saying the takeover will be good for teachers doesn\u2019t mean much if many of those teachers up and leave.\u00a0<\/p>\n That said, the district should have the time it needs to implement changes without facing major disruption. The takeover shouldn\u2019t become a hostile event.<\/p>\n In a statement, the district said it has invested \u201csignificant resources\u201d in teacher pay and coaching to support its educators in the upcoming school year. Fort Worth ISD also noted that over 100 employees who initially submitted resignations have since returned to the district.\u00a0<\/p>\n The district went on to describe multiple efforts to recruit more teachers, including strengthening partnerships with universities.<\/p>\n It\u2019s not uncommon for some teachers to leave a district following a state takeover. According to the Houston Chronicle, Houston ISD lost nearly a third of its teachers<\/a> following its 2023 state takeover, forcing the district to bring in uncredentialed teachers to fill some of the open positions. Fort Worth ISD is now scrambling to hire teachers as the start of school quickly approaches.\u00a0<\/p>\n On Aug. 10, Fort Worth ISD will begin its first school year under new leadership. We are rooting for the district\u2019s success.<\/p>\n