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Principal Janae Capshaw welcomes students on the first day of school at W.M. Green Elementary in Fort Worth on August 10, 2026.<\/p>\n
Anja Schlein\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
A few minutes after 7:30 a.m. Monday, Liz Bay\u2019s kids bounced up the steps of W.M. Green Elementary School in Fort Worth<\/a> and headed inside to the gymnasium, where teachers waited to show students where to go.<\/p>\n Dressed in green heart-shaped sunglasses and a W.M. Green Roadrunners shirt, Principal Janae Capshaw gave out high fives as students arrived. Some kids knew exactly where to go. Others, especially those just starting kindergarten or pre-K<\/a>, needed more help and reassurance.<\/p>\n Related<\/strong>: 5 detained after photo of gun sparks lockdown at Fort Worth high school<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Bay\u2019s kids looked confident and ready to start a new school year<\/a>. Watching from the sidewalk, Bay said that was no accident. She spent weeks preparing them, making sure they brushed their teeth, washed their faces and got to bed on time. When the day finally came, they were ready, she said.<\/p>\n \u201cThey love school,\u201d she said. \u201cThey have no problem getting back to going to school.\u201d<\/p>\n Monday marked a day full of firsts in Fort Worth ISD: the first day of school for about 3,000 kindergarteners and prekindergarteners<\/a>, the first day at work for hundreds of new teachers and the first day of the district\u2019s first full year under state intervention<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n The first day did not come without turmoil.<\/p>\n O.D. Wyatt High School went into lockdown<\/a>, after a student reportedly photographed themselves with a firearm on campus. Five people, including the student, were detained.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n During an evening news conference, Peter Licata, the district\u2019s state-appointed superintendent, reassured that safety mechanisms were in place, including the presence of several safety officers on campus. National and local law enforcement are \u201cconstantly monitoring\u201d social media posts, he added.<\/p>\n \u201cThe worst that could happen is we lock down children for an hour,\u201d he said. \u201cThat’s the scenario we want every time. We encourage students: if they see something, say something.\u201d<\/p>\n Karim Bustamante, 5, hugs his brother Jeremy, 2, as he walks into the first day of school at W.M. Green Elementary in Fort Worth, Texas, Monday, August 10, 2026.<\/p>\n Anja Schlein\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n Fort Worth\u00a0ISD, the second-largest district in North Texas, starts the school year under a state takeover that began in March.\u00a0Licata\u00a0said Monday morning that the district\u2019s army of bus drivers were ready to get students to school on time, where teachers were ready to dive into instruction right away.<\/p>\n \u201cWe can\u2019t afford to make mistakes here,\u201d Licata said.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Related<\/strong>: Why North Texas school districts are recruiting students from nearby districts<\/a><\/p>\n One of the major moves the district\u2019s new leadership has made is establishing the Elevate Network. At 19 struggling campuses, including W.M. Green Elementary, district leaders are rolling out changes that include a longer school year, more coaching for teachers and instruction that\u2019s designed to be consistent from one classroom to the next.<\/p>\n Ashley Dodd (right)\u00a0and her son Mycah, 9, talk to educator Paquita Lacy, on the first day of school at W.M. Green Elementary in Fort Worth on August 10, 2026.<\/p>\n Anja Schlein\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n District-wide, a big change students will notice this year is that teachers will begin lessons on the first day, Licata said during an early-morning news conference. Since the takeover, district leaders have emphasized instruction that stretches from the beginning of the school day to the final bell. That\u2019s important, Licata said, because if teachers waste as little as five minutes per day, it can add up to weeks of lost instruction over the course of the school year.<\/p>\n Related<\/strong>: Their schools closed. Now North Texas students are finding their place somewhere new<\/a><\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Students will also notice many new faces at their schools. More than 1,000 Fort Worth ISD teachers resigned last year, including about 800 who did so in the three months<\/a> after the takeover began. Licata said Monday that the district is starting the year with a teacher in front of every student.<\/p>\n District leaders launched a hiring blitz during the summer, working toward the goal of having no teacher vacancies by the first day of school \u2014 a goal that district officials say they achieved. Some of the teachers who resigned last year returned to the district, Licata said Monday. The district still has a few dozen open teacher positions listed online. In a statement, district officials said Fort Worth\u00a0ISD keeps a certain number of job listings open throughout the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n Many of those new hires lack teaching credentials. At a meeting last month, the district\u2019s state-appointed board requested a two-year extension on new state rules that require districts to have no uncertified teachers in core subject areas<\/a> by the beginning of next school year. The waiver gives districts until the beginning of the 2029-30 school year to meet that threshold. More than 500 other districts, including Dallas ISD and Garland ISD, have also received such waivers.<\/p>\n Superintendent Peter Licata (left) high fives Daniel Solis, deputy superintendent, as they get off a school bus on the first day of school at W.M. Green Elementary in Fort Worth.<\/p>\n Anja Schlein\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n During last month\u2019s meeting, district leaders said they\u2019d hired 142 uncertified teachers for the current school year. Last year, 161 uncertified teachers worked in the district. It\u2019s unclear how many of last year\u2019s uncertified teachers are still in the district and how many remain uncertified. District officials couldn\u2019t provide a total number of uncertified teachers Monday morning.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Related<\/strong>: What are the rules in Texas school zones? Laws every North Texan should know<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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