Texas is now in control of Fort Worth ISD.
But what does that mean for FWISD’s 65,700 students, their families and 10,000 district employees?
Here are answers to a few questions parents and community members have about Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath’s decision to take over Fort Worth schools.
FWISD takeover questions
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What is a takeover of schools?
A takeover is an intervention by the Texas Education Agency commissioner who replaces an elected school board with a slate of appointed members.
Those appointed members form a board of managers, which exercises the power and duties previously assigned to trustees in overseeing the management of a public school district.
Who makes the decision about a takeover?
The Texas education commissioner decides whether the state takes over a school district.
The current education commissioner is Mike Morath.
Who is Mike Morath?
He is the state’s education commissioner and leads the Texas Education Agency, which oversees public schools.
Gov. Greg Abbott appointed Morath to the position in January 2016. Morath previously served as a Dallas school trustee for four years.
How long is a takeover?
The short answer: At least two years — and possibly longer.
A state-appointed board of managers must stay in place for a minimum of two years.
Just before that two-year mark, the education commissioner must decide whether to begin returning control to Fort Worth voters or extend the board’s authority.
If the commissioner decides the district hasn’t made enough academic or financial progress, he can extend the takeover for up to two more years at a time. The law allows the process to continue in two-year increments until the district shows sustained improvement.
FWISD school board elections will continue as normal. Trustees will still be chosen by Fort Worth voters on the regular election cycle. But while the board of managers is in power, those elected trustees do not have governing authority.
When the commissioner determines Fort Worth ISD is ready to transition back to local control, trustees will be reintroduced gradually: One-third of the state-appointed managers will be replaced each year by local trustees, until an entirely elected board resumes full power and responsibility.
Even after the board of managers steps down, the law requires leadership training for the returning elected trustees to ensure a stable handoff.
What triggers the state taking control?
Persistent low academic performance — largely determined by STAAR results — can lead to a takeover. The commissioner intervenes when either a school or a district receives a failing grade in the state’s A-F academic accountability ratings for five consecutive years.
State law requires the commissioner to either close the failing campus or appoint a new board of managers.
Other reasons can lead to intervention, including:
Why did the state intervene in Fort Worth ISD?
Five years of failing academic accountability grades at the now-closed Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade triggered the Texas law.
The school board closed the campus in 2024 with trustees and district leaders saying then that they took a proactive approach to meet TEA requirements.
Meanwhile, Morath has cited the district’s “chronically low levels of support given to students and very low levels of academic performance.” FWISD has lagged behind the state, Dallas and Houston on STAAR results and other measures. Houston schools are currently under a state takeover.
Roughly a third of FWISD students currently read on grade level, while slightly more than a quarter are on track in math.
Are there any immediate changes in FWISD for students and teachers?
Nothing will change immediately in Fort Worth ISD, Morath said.
When will changes occur?
Morath expects substantive changes emphasizing academic rigor for students and stronger support for teachers in the next year.
What happens to FWISD’s nine elected trustees?
They still hold office but without any power. The state-appointed board of managers holds governing authority.
Elections will continue as scheduled during the takeover.
How is a board of managers appointed?
The education commissioner will appoint FWISD residents to the board of managers. The Texas Education Agency is seeking applicants from the district. The deadline to apply is Nov. 21.
TEA officials will screen applications, train candidates in school board governance and interview contenders.
A majority of the board of managers must be residents of the district. Managers will serve for two years unless the education commissioner extends a takeover.
When will Fort Worth’s board of managers be appointed?
Morath expects to appoint them in the spring, he said during an Oct. 23 news conference. Alongside the appointed board, he will announce his selection of superintendent.
The commissioner plans to appoint a conservator before he appoints the board of managers and superintendent.
What is a conservator?
A conservator is a state-appointed official who steps in to ensure a public school district improves student outcomes and follows state requirements. This position is separate from the superintendent and board of managers.
Morath said Fort Worth ISD will get a conservator soon, ahead of the board of managers taking over in the spring.
A conservator:
- Supports district leaders and coaches them through improvement efforts.
- Tracks progress for the state.
- Has the authority to direct, approve or override decisions made by the superintendent, trustees and even principals if changes aren’t happening fast enough.
Morath emphasized that Fort Worth’s conservator is being appointed mostly to ensure a smooth transition.
TEA expects conservators to help districts implement and sustain improvements within about two years. Houston ISD has had a conservator throughout its two-year-plus takeover.
What happens to Superintendent Karen Molinar?
Molinar, who’s spent nearly 30 years in the district, remains in charge for now. She became superintendent in March.
The commissioner plans to appoint a superintendent in the spring, following a national search for a leader. Molinar is a candidate.
Can Fort Worth ISD appeal a takeover?
Yes — but only through a specific, fast-tracked legal process.
A district that wants to challenge a commissioner’s decision must file an appeal with the State Office of Administrative Hearings.
That review is limited in scope.
The court only decides whether the commissioner had enough evidence to justify the decision.
An administrative law judge must issue a final ruling within 30 days after the hearing. That ruling cannot be appealed.
Has the state taken over school districts before?
Over the past three decades, the state has taken control of 15 districts.
The largest was the 183,000-student Houston ISD. The state took control in 2023 and this year extended the takeover for two more years.
Morath replaced Houston’s school trustees and superintendent.
Overall, state-run districts saw improvements in rates of all students passing STAAR tests that were on par with the uptick of the state’s average. However, Houston ISD saw a rise in teachers and students leaving the district.
Jacob Sanchez is education editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez.
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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