A strong public education system is key to attracting and retaining companies in North Texas, business leaders say. Incentives matter, but so does having a sizable talented workforce in the fast-growing city. Above all, they said, the business community must support the 67,500 students in Fort Worth ISD because they are the region\u2019s future workforce.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I do know is that we\u2019ve got leaders, Mayor Parker, superintendent leadership, that are laser-focused on delivering the best possible results for every student with Fort Worth ISD,\u201d said Robert Allen, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Economic Development Partnership. \u201cAt the end of the day, that\u2019s what matters most.\u201d<\/p>\n
The intervention \u2014 which includes appointing a board of managers and a superintendent<\/a> \u2014 could impact such recruitment, said Michelle Green-Ford, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce.<\/p>\n \u201cAnything that reflects negatively on our school district and education as a whole has an adverse effect on companies who may want to consider relocating here,\u201d she said in a statement.<\/p>\n Some business leaders said they were disappointed that Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath will name new FWISD leadership in the spring. He appointed a conservator<\/a> on Nov. 6 who will monitor progress and has the authority to overturn local decisions in the district.<\/p>\n They point to Superintendent Karen Molinar\u2019s progress since she took over as Fort Worth ISD chief in March. Molinar, who has worked nearly three decades in the district, is a candidate in Morath\u2019s national search for superintendent.<\/p>\n However, many expected state intervention after years of failing schools. One campus missing state academic standards five years in a row triggered the Texas law that required the takeover.<\/p>\n Former Mayor Ken Barr, who was a Tarrant County College trustee in recent years until he stepped down in the spring, said FWISD has struggled for decades with the quality of schools being a concern for many in the community when he was mayor from 1996 to 2003.<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the reasons I ran for the Tarrant County College board was I realized it takes a whole lot more on both ends, pre-K and before and then getting into a career or into higher education,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to invest in education to ensure that children in FWISD classrooms have the skills to compete, business leaders said. That\u2019s why local businesses must find ways to support the students and district, they said.<\/p>\n Montgomery of the Fort Worth chamber said companies that call the city home and those looking to move here will want to know there is an action plan in place that will improve student performance.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThey want to know we\u2019re doing the things necessary to make that happen,\u201d he said, adding the takeover is now part of that story.\u00a0<\/p>\n The takeover represents a generational opportunity to fix many of the issues that have plagued Fort Worth ISD schools for decades, said Issac Manning, president of Trinity Works, who has served stints on previous school district bond committees.<\/p>\n \u201cHere\u2019s a chance to focus on everything from the students to right-sizing our schools, to dealing with our real estate issues in a meaningful way, dealing with closure in a meaningful way, and being able to get everything that we\u2019re doing to focus back on educational attainment for our kids and properly resourcing our schools,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Business leaders have voiced public concern about the direction of the Fort Worth ISD in recent years.\u00a0<\/p>\n In August 2024, the mayor and a group of more than 40 civic leaders voiced dissatisfaction with the state of FWISD and offered a plan forward for the school board<\/a> in a letter to the district. All City Council members also signed the letter, as did the leaders of all three Fort Worth chambers.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fort Worth ISD lags behind many other Texas districts<\/a> in academic performance, according to STAAR results. Only 30% of FWISD students scored at grade level on the state tests compared to 48% of all Texas students in 2024, according to the Texas Education Agency.\u00a0<\/p>\n No one solution will address the challenges facing FWISD schools, Montgomery said. He and others note that Molinar has made substantial and important progress in leading the district.<\/p>\n \u201cWe applaud her efforts and see the state\u2019s intervention as additive to that progress,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Those concerned about the state takeover of the school system\u2019s impact on Fort Worth\u2019s economy should keep in mind that this will be temporary, said Sriram Villupuram, associate professor of finance and real estate at the University of Texas at Arlington.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, business leaders should keep a focus on what is happening in the local communities to monitor ripple effects, particularly near schools that have had low test scores because that could impact the economy, he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Now it\u2019s critically important for business leaders and others to support the district to move forward, said Ben Robertson, who serves local boards including Trinity Metro and the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important that we focus on the future of our kids and what that looks like for the community and not get lost in the past,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n Members of the Black chamber have spent the past year participating in the mayor\u2019s roundtable on education, which involves leaders focused on improving the school district.<\/p>\n Green-Ford stressed that chamber members have been pleased with Molinar\u2019s progress and disappointed in the state\u2019s action. Green-Ford urged business and community leaders to apply to be a manager<\/a> before the Dec. 1 deadline.<\/p>\n The Black chamber, she said, is committed to working with TEA and those who will be appointed to serve Fort Worth\u2019s students.<\/p>\n \u201cThese young people are the future of our city, and we must put forth every effort to ensure that they are genuinely prepared,\u201d Green-Ford said.<\/p>\n Ty Stimpson, an attorney with Varghese Summersett who chairs the Black chamber\u2019s board, added its members are seeking more ways to be active in citywide literacy efforts, such as signing up to read to students.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s important that we rally behind them and let them know that we\u2019re supporting them because we need them,\u201d he said of the district\u2019s children.<\/p>\n Eric E. Garcia is a senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bob Francis is business editor for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at bob.francis@fortworthreport.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n Disclosure: Ben Robertson is a member of the Report\u2019s Business Advisory Council. News decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n
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