Texas released its latest “A through F” ratings for districts and campuses statewide, highlighting major gains for several North Texas school districts. Education Commissioner Mike Morath visited Dallas on Thursday to review the results and discuss the state of education.
Dallas ISD moved from a “C” rating in 2024 to a “B” in 2025. The number of A-rated schools doubled from 30 to 60, while F-rated campuses fell from 24 to just two. Fort Worth ISD also showed improvement, with its overall score rising from a “D” in 2023 to a “C” in both 2024 and 2025. F-rated schools dropped from 31 to 11, and A-rated schools increased by 70%.
Despite these gains, a possible state takeover of Fort Worth ISD remains under consideration. Under Texas law, the Texas Education Agency must intervene if a campus fails for five consecutive years, which occurred in Fort Worth in 2023.
Commissioner praises Dallas campus
Statewide, 63 districts and 757 schools moved into the “A” category.
At Walnut Hill International Leadership Academy in Dallas, Morath praised the campus after it jumped from a “C” to an “A” in just one year, saying it reflects hard work happening across Dallas ISD.
“I could be anywhere today, but I am here, because it does seem a little magical what you all have done. But I know there is no magic,” Morath said. “They are being better prepared for America than they used to. This is what we’ve seen in Dallas, and we’ve seen all over the state. It’s something worth celebrating.”
Ratings delayed by legal challenges
The release of the 2024 grades comes after delays caused by a lawsuit. The 2023 ratings faced a similar legal hold-up before being released in April, and COVID-19 caused additional delays in previous years.
Morath says the data shows clear success and gives him confidence about the future of education in Texas.
“We’ve seen significant improvement in schools all across Texas. Last year, only 18% of campuses would have received an ‘A’; this year, 2% of campuses received an ‘A’,” Morath said.
Fort Worth ISD under scrutiny
Morath said he will visit Fort Worth ISD in September to see the district’s progress firsthand. While scores have improved, he says the key question is whether enough improvement is happening to meaningfully impact students’ lives.
“Fort Worth has some significant challenges in terms of helping students reach grade level,” Morath said. “Fort Worth is a little bit better in the most recent year than it was in the year before, which is what you want to see—improvement. The question is whether improvement is happening fast enough and wide enough to meaningfully impact the lives of students.”
Morath expects a decision regarding the future of Fort Worth ISD later this fall.
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