Fort Worth ISD is overhauling seven of its lowest-performing campuses \u2014 and the changes begin with teachers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Superintendent Karen Molinar told trustees during a Sept. 23 meeting that administrators will spend this school year recruiting and training educators before converting the schools into a turnaround model<\/a> for 2026-27.<\/p>\n The move comes as Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath weighs intervention in <\/a>FWISD. The plan is about urgency and accountability, Molinar said, telling trustees she must act now for students after years of low performance at the seven schools.<\/p>\n \u201cI have to do it now,\u201d Molinar said. \u201cRecruiting for seven campuses will take me the entire school year to find the best.\u201d<\/p>\n Under the model, which is largely based off of a Dallas ISD initiative, principals, assistant principals and teachers at the schools must reapply to stay in their roles. Support staff such as custodians, child nutrition specialists and security will not be affected.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThat does not mean they do not have a job in Fort Worth ISD,\u201d Molinar said, emphasizing that educators who choose not to reapply will be reassigned to other schools with vacancies.\u00a0<\/p>\n Trustee Camille Rodriguez said the board must stand behind the plan once it\u2019s in motion.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we\u2019re going to do this, we need to do it right. There\u2019s no going back because all of a sudden those schools are doing good,\u201d she said. \u201cI just want to make sure that people sitting at this table and in this community know it\u2019s about the students, not about the adults.\u201d<\/p>\n The campuses affected are:\u00a0<\/p>\n To teach at these schools, core subject educators must have at least two years\u2019 experience. Half of them must hold state-recognized designations<\/a> for highly effective teachers, which are tied to student academic growth on STAAR tests and evaluations.\u00a0<\/p>\n Molinar pledged higher pay to attract and keep proven educators. The state provides stipends for such teachers, but the district will add \u201cstrategic compensation\u201d on top, she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe will have some teachers who will be surpassing assistant principals on other traditional campuses,\u201d she said. \u201cBut we\u2019re asking you to come work with the neediest students that we have in our district right now.\u201d<\/p>\n If the Texas Education Agency does not approve the designations for the state turnaround program or if the 50% threshold isn\u2019t met to qualify for state funding, Fort Worth ISD will cover the cost from its general budget.<\/p>\n \u201cAny additional funds we generate will not go into the district\u2019s general fund,\u201d Molinar said. \u201cThey go back to those seven campuses to support them.\u201d<\/p>\n This year will serve as a planning and training year.<\/p>\n Recruiting starts Oct. 1 with internal and external job fairs.<\/p>\n The schools will use the state\u2019s extended school year calendar<\/a> with 25 extra instructional days. Fort Worth ISD officials may also extend school days and adjust start and dismissal times, especially at the three middle schools affected, officials said.<\/p>\n Attendance zones will remain the same.<\/p>\n All seven schools have posted multiple years of D or F ratings on the state\u2019s academic accountability system and struggle with teacher vacancies, turnover, student absenteeism and student mobility.<\/p>\n !function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();<\/p>\n !function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();<\/p>\n !function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();<\/p>\n !function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();<\/p>\n !function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();<\/p>\n !function(){“use strict”;window.addEventListener(“message”,function(a){if(void 0!==a.data[“datawrapper-height”]){var e=document.querySelectorAll(“iframe”);for(var t in a.data[“datawrapper-height”])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data[“datawrapper-height”][t]+”px”;r.style.height=d}}})}();<\/p>\n What\u2019s happening at the affected schools?<\/p>\n Merged schools must operate under the same model until consolidations are complete, district leaders said.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen these campuses and staff come together, the systems must already be in line. There\u2019s no reason to wait,\u201d Molinar said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The model mirrors past turnaround efforts in other large-urban school districts, including Dallas and Houston.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dallas\u2019 Accelerating Campus Excellence program launched under then-Superintendent Mike Miles<\/a> and became a template for the state<\/a>. Houston later implemented its own Achieve 180 initiative<\/a>, also designed to place top teachers in the district\u2019s highest-need schools.<\/p>\n Michelle Williams, president of the Houston Education Association, taught at Kashmere Gardens Elementary when Houston ISD launched its program<\/a> \u2014 similar to the model Fort Worth ISD is planning.\u00a0<\/p>\n The school improved enough to avoid possible state sanctions. However, the gains faded when leadership changed and the extra support eased off, she told the Fort Worth Report.<\/p>\n \u201cIt stabilizes the campuses, and it does increase students’ success and achievement,\u201d Williams said. \u201cBut here’s the thing. It’s not sustainable.\u201d<\/p>\n Stipends often feel inadequate for the workload and constant monitoring can undermine teacher autonomy, she said of the Houston ISD model.<\/p>\n Steven Poole, executive director of the United Educators Association of Texas, previously told the Report<\/a> that the FWISD plan\u2019s strength is in placing the district\u2019s best, most experienced teachers where they are needed most.<\/p>\n Announcing it in September gives the district time to recruit those top-tier educators and prepare, Molinar said. The district will apply to the Texas Education Agency for approval later this school year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThis can change the trajectory of those students being on grade level by putting teachers with proven results in front of them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Matthew Sgroi is an education reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at matthew.sgroi@fortworthreport.org or @matthewsgroi1<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n
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