After months of deliberating and several school visits, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and Commissioner Mike Morath announced Thursday that it will be taking over Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD). The board has already responded by asking Morath and the rest of the TEA to reconsider.
So what does this mean, exactly? Well, we’re here to help.
Fast facts
- There are 70,000 students and 10,000 employees in FWISD.
- Roxanne Martinez currently serves as board President, while Karen Molinar serves as Superintendent, only stepping into the role this past March.
- The Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade Center, receiving five consecutive F-ratings in the state’s A-F accountability ratings, sparked TEA’s decision. By state law, when this happens, the district must either close the campus or the TEA will step in.
- The first large public school takeover was in 2023 for Houston ISD, due to the same circumstances. As of this year, there have been no F-ratings.
What will happen
- All locally elected members of the school board will be removed, and applications will open to the community to join the new board of managers.
- Morath will have final say on the appointees and assign a conservator to oversee plans at the lowest-performing campuses.
- Morath will launch a national search for a new superintendent, but will not exclude Molinar.
- The board of managers will lead the district for two years. Once two years are up, Morath will decide to extend or revert to local leadership.
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