The pause lingered as Cory Wilson gathered his thoughts.
Wilson was overcome with emotion July 24 after Keller ISD trustees formally hired the longtime educator as superintendent. The vote was 5-0, with trustees Chris Coker and Charles Randklev absent.
“So —” Wilson said, looking over to his wife, Angela, and son, Garrett. “Man, I can’t even get through the introduction part. I couldn’t do this without the two people who are sitting in this audience.”
Details of his salary and contract were not immediately available.
Wilson has led Keller ISD as interim superintendent since February following the exit of his predecessor, Tracy Johnson.
She led the 33,250-student district for more than a year before leaving the job over a now-defunct proposal to split Keller ISD into two districts.
The district will pay Johnson $425,384 through the end of 2025 as part of her exit agreement.
Her salary was $275,000.
Wilson earned $160,304 in 2023 and received a $7,500 monthly stipend as interim superintendent.
Wilson has worked in education for 27 years. He joined Keller ISD in 2002 as a fifth-grade math and science teacher at Parkwood Hill Intermediate School. He has served in campus and district leadership roles, including as assistant superintendent of education services.
He has a bachelor’s degree in education from Kansas State University; a master’s in education leadership and policy study from the University of Texas at Arlington; and a doctorate of education from Texas Christian University.
The new superintendent looks forward to building up the district’s reputation as a destination for educational excellence, he said.
“We have a bright future ahead of us. We have a great team, and we’re going to do great things,” Wilson said to trustees and staff.
School board trustees were pleased with Wilson’s leadership as interim superintendent, President John Birt said.
Keller ISD leaders anticipated a more than $12 million shortfall for the 2025-26 school year. Wilson averted the crunch and proposed a balanced $348.3 million budget that includes raises for staff. Trustees adopted the budget during a June 26 special meeting.
“With intentional collaboration between central administration, the campuses, PTAs, parents and the community, we expect to see continued focus on operational efficiencies,” Birt said.
Board Vice President Heather Washington thanked Wilson for his leadership.
“I look forward to the things to come as we work through the challenges and the good, the bad and the ugly — and all the things in between,” Washington said.
Jacob Sanchez is education editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at jacob.sanchez@fortworthreport.org or @_jacob_sanchez.
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