Fort Worth ISD at a Crossroads: The Looming Shadow of a State Takeover

The air in Fort Worth’s educational landscape is thick with anticipation and trepidation. A monumental decision looms, one that could dramatically reshape the governance of Fort Worth Independent School District (FWISD): a potential state takeover by the Texas Education Agency (TEA).

For two consecutive academic years, 2017-2018 and 2018-2019, five particular FWISD campuses have found themselves trapped in a cycle of "F" grades from the state's accountability system.

These schools – Forest Oak Middle, John T. White Elementary, Como Elementary, Maude Logan Elementary, and Mitchell Boulevard Elementary – are at the heart of the district's current predicament. Under Texas law, specifically Education Code Section 39A.001, a school earning an "F" grade for five consecutive years triggers an ultimatum for the TEA commissioner: either shutter the struggling school or, more drastically, appoint a board of managers to govern the entire district, effectively stripping power from the locally elected school board.

This isn't FWISD's first dance with state scrutiny.

The district has been grappling with underperforming schools for years. Back in 2017, FWISD launched an ambitious initiative known as the "Sahara" plan, targeting 16 struggling schools for intensive improvement. While the plan did yield positive results for many of those campuses, five persistent outliers remained, stubbornly resisting improvement and continually receiving failing marks, pushing the district ever closer to this critical juncture.

The timeline for this pivotal decision is expected to unfold in the coming months, following the conclusion of the appeals process for the latest round of school ratings.

This period, likely late 2019 or early 2020, will be a time of intense anxiety for the community. The prospect of a state takeover sends shivers down the spines of parents, teachers, and concerned citizens alike. The fear is palpable: a state-appointed board could sideline local voices, potentially failing to understand or address the unique challenges faced by Fort Worth's students and communities, and undermining the democratic process of local control.

Superintendent Kent Scribner and the current FWISD administration are not standing idly by.

They are actively and vociferously fighting against the looming takeover, emphasizing the significant strides made by other schools within the district and advocating passionately for local solutions. Their argument centers on the idea that while challenges persist, the district has demonstrated a capacity for improvement and that local leadership is best equipped to navigate the complex issues facing their student population.

Understanding the "F" grade criteria sheds light on the gravity of the situation.

These failing marks are not arbitrary; they reflect a consistent failure to meet state standards across several key performance indicators. These include overall student achievement, the progress schools make in improving student learning year-over-year (both in growth and relative performance), and crucially, the ability to close achievement gaps among various student groups – a vital measure of equity and effectiveness.

Fort Worth's dilemma echoes a similar high-stakes situation faced by Houston ISD, which has been grappling with its own potential takeover due to Wheatley High School's prolonged struggle with failing grades.

The implications of such an intervention are profound. Should a board of managers be appointed, they would entirely replace the elected school board and potentially the superintendent. This appointed body typically governs for a period of two years, with the possibility of extensions, effectively putting the district's future into the hands of state appointees rather than its own community.

The stakes could not be higher for the thousands of students and dedicated educators within Fort Worth ISD.