What's next for Fort Worth ISD's state takeover
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Illustration: Brendan Lynch
Fort Worth ISD's future, for now, rests in the hands of a state-appointed superintendent from Florida and a board of managers.
Why it matters: The Texas Education Agency took over the district last fall, after one campus received a failing grade for five consecutive years in the state's accountability ratings.
- The temporary leadership is tasked with improving student learning and boosting support for teachers and campuses.
The latest: Peter Licata, who has over 30 years of experience in education in Florida, will be the district's superintendent during the takeover.
- The nine-person board of managers includes Texas A&M law school dean Bobby Ahdieh, Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce chair-elect Rosa Maria Berdeja and former Democratic U.S. Rep. Pete Geren.
The intrigue: Licata served as superintendent of Broward County Public Schools in South Florida, but stepped down after a year in the role, citing health reasons.
- "I am probably the most competitive person you will ever meet, and it's not about whether I win. It's about whether our children win, whether this community wins," Licata said at a news conference Tuesday.
Catch up quick: The TEA gave the district a D rating in 2024 and a C rating last year, when just 34% of students were performing at grade level.
Between the lines: The TEA's takeovers in Houston and now Fort Worth could influence some districts to close their underperforming schools instead of trying to fix them, TCU education professor Jo Beth Jimerson tells Axios.
- "In the past, when we might have seen schools maybe change out leadership or try one more thing to get a neighborhood school back on track, they're going to be more predisposed to close schools quickly and avoid [a takeover]," Jimerson says.
What they're saying: "The state has made clear promises about improvement and we must hold them accountable for delivering real results for Fort Worth students," ousted school board president Roxanne Martinez said on Facebook.
What's next: To end the takeover, Fort Worth ISD must show sustained academic improvement, exceed state averages for "meets grade level" proficiency in reading and math, and receive a "meets focus" rating from the TEA.
- Then, an elected board of trustees and their chosen superintendent can run the district again.