Speculation Grows Over Possible State Takeover of Fort Worth ISD
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath will hold a news conference at 9 a.m. Thursday as speculation grows over whether he will announce a state takeover of Fort Worth ISD. Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Karen Molinar sent an email to the district’s families Wednesday evening saying she is aware of “reports about possible state action” being announced in the morning.
“I understand and support wanting to know more details, and I will share them with you first once I receive them from the TEA,” she wrote. Texas Education Agency officials did not respond to an email asking about the details of the news conference.
Background on the Possible Takeover
If Morath orders a state intervention of Fort Worth ISD, it would make it the second-largest takeover in Texas history. The TEA assumed control of Houston ISD, the state’s biggest district, in 2023. Fort Worth ISD, which has about 67,500 students, has faced the threat of a takeover for months after one of its campuses earned a failing rating for five consecutive years.
State law requires the commissioner to either appoint a board of managers to govern a district or order the closure of a consistently failing campus. Complicating matters is that district officials closed the failing campus, Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade, in 2023. The fifth failing state rating in 2023 was released only this year after lawsuits delayed the state’s A-F academic accountability grades for two years.
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Improvements in Accountability Ratings
In recent months, Fort Worth ISD officials said their schools have improved in accountability ratings over the past year, a sign that their reforms, such as new reading and math frameworks, are paying off. Fifty of the district’s schools have moved up at least one letter grade, and the number of F rated schools has decreased from 31 to 11.
“We are committed to equipping teachers with the resources they need and ensuring students receive consistent, high-impact instruction that accelerates learning and academic growth,” district officials said in May after the 2023 accountability ratings release.
Commissioner Morath’s Visit to Fort Worth Schools
Morath, who visited Fort Worth schools in late August, described the “level of student proficiency” in Fort Worth as “much lower” than similar districts. Morath said he was visiting campuses to understand how well the district supported its classroom teachers. After a visit to William James Middle School in August, where he observed students and teachers in an English and math class, Morath said he saw “highs and lows.”
“There are changes that have to be made, because otherwise we wouldn’t be in this situation in the first place,” he said. “The goal is to make those changes quickly and then to reach some degree of stability so that we can just trend year in and year out.” At the time, he said a decision on a takeover would come in three months.
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State Takeover of Houston ISD
After the state took over Houston ISD, Morath installed former Dallas ISD superintendent Mike Miles to lead the nearly 200,000-student district. Miles has had a controversial two years. Under his leadership, the district’s 121 D and F-rated schools dropped to 18 D-rated and zero F-rated campuses. But parents have pushed back against his leadership style and questioned some of his decisions, such as curriculum changes, according to The Houston Chronicle.
Morath has defended the efficacy of a state takeover. “Every single one of our state interventions has resulted in fairly immediate improvements in the quality of student learning,” he said in August.
Conclusion
The possible state takeover of Fort Worth ISD has been a topic of discussion for months. With the news conference scheduled for Thursday, the district and its families are waiting to hear the decision. The DMN Education Lab deepens the coverage and conversation about urgent education issues critical to the future of North Texas. The DMN Education Lab is a community-funded journalism initiative, with support from Bobby and Lottye Lyle, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Dallas Regional Chamber, Deedie Rose, Garrett and Cecilia Boone, Judy and Jim Gibbs, The Meadows Foundation, The Murrell Foundation, Ron and Phyllis Steinhart, Solutions Journalism Network, Southern Methodist University, Sydney Smith Hicks, and the University of Texas at Dallas. The Dallas Morning News retains full editorial control of the Education Lab’s journalism.
FAQs
Q: What is the possible state takeover of Fort Worth ISD?
A: The possible state takeover of Fort Worth ISD refers to the potential decision by the Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath to take control of the district due to its poor academic performance.
Q: Why is the state considering a takeover of Fort Worth ISD?
A: The state is considering a takeover of Fort Worth ISD because one of its campuses earned a failing rating for five consecutive years, and state law requires the commissioner to either appoint a board of managers to govern a district or order the closure of a consistently failing campus.
Q: What has been the impact of the state takeover of Houston ISD?
A: The state takeover of Houston ISD has resulted in improvements in the district’s academic performance, with the number of D and F-rated schools decreasing from 121 to 18. However, parents have also pushed back against the leadership style and decisions of the superintendent installed by the state.
