International Leadership of Texas’ Grand Prairie campus is one failing grade away from being forced to close.
The school posted two consecutive F’s under the state’s academic accountability system. A third in 2026 would trigger mandatory closure of the public charter school under Texas law.
Charter schools across Tarrant County face the same pressure as traditional public schools that are graded on how well they educate students, partly based on STAAR results. A Fort Worth Report analysis of recent A-F academic ratings found charters earned a higher share of A- and B-rated campuses than traditional districts — and fewer failing grades.
A charter is a publicly funded school run by private or nonprofit operators. Traditional districts can keep a struggling campus open after four F’s. After five, they face a forced closure of the school or a state takeover. Texas law requires charters to shut down a campus after three failing grades.
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IL Texas officials recognize that danger.
“Any D or F campuses are unacceptable, and we are working diligently to ensure that there are no D or F campuses in the entire charter (system) next year,” IL Texas spokesperson Caitlin Madison said.
At IL Texas Grand Prairie, students who did not pass the state test last year moved from dual-language classes — where students are taught in English and Spanish — to English-only instruction and added double-blocked math and reading classes for struggling students, Madison said.
Across Tarrant County, 54.1% of all charter campuses earned an A or B rating. Among traditional public schools, 51.3% reached that mark.
John Romig, a former University of Texas at Arlington professor of special education now at Florida State University, said the approaches charters take in teaching — including what learning materials and lessons they use — can set them apart from districts.
“When it comes to reading, having a knowledge-rich curriculum can be really powerful for comprehension,” he said as an example. “In math, your choice of curriculum — whether step-by-step strategies or conceptual understanding — can lead to very different outcomes.”
Romig said charter schools, founded as alternatives to traditional districts, are often more willing to experiment.
Though not all differences can be explained by instruction, Romig said.
Parents who opt for charters often select campuses they believe have a strong reputation or where they feel confident their child will be successful, Romig noted This, in turn, may contribute to charter schools’ higher ratings, he said.
Educators say accountability scores only show one part of their work.
Uplift Education, which operates multiple campuses in Tarrant County, highlighted its record of preparing students for life after high school. In Tarrant County, most Uplift campuses earned B ratings this year, but three received lower marks — including Uplift Ascend Prep Primary, which was rated an F.
“While there’s room to grow in areas like early literacy and math, our focus is on the whole child,” departing Uplift CEO Yasmin Bhatia said. “Uplift graduates leave as well-equipped young adults — college-ready, career-ready and life-ready — thriving as citizens who earn more, raise families and strengthen their communities.”
Romig said it’s important to examine performance trends over time. Because charter campuses are often smaller, they can show sharper swings from year to year.
“The trajectory matters. Are they consistently getting A’s, or is it a one-off year?” he said.
That volatility — and consistent failure — has played out here in Tarrant County.
Rocketship Texas and the Academy of Visual and Performing Arts, both in Fort Worth, closed before this year’s ratings were released. Rocketship’s Dennis Dunkins Elementary posted three consecutive F’s, which would have forced closure under state law. AVPA had two straight F’s before shutting down.
Families can review ratings for every Tarrant County campus in the searchable tables below:
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Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1.
At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here.
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