The future of Fort Worth ISD hangs in the balance! Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath just toured schools, witnessing both progress and persistent challenges. With failing grades potentially triggering a state takeover, what could this mean for thousands of students and educators? It’s a critical moment for Texas education, and the decision is just weeks away.
Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath recently conducted a pivotal visit to Fort Worth Independent School District schools, signaling an imminent decision regarding a potential state takeover. This high-stakes tour comes as FWISD faces severe consequences for persistently failing academic accountability ratings, threatening to upend local leadership and reshape the district’s future. The stakes are incredibly high for the 67,500 students and countless educators within one of Texas’s largest school districts, making Morath’s observations crucial to the looming state intervention.
During his intensive Thursday tour, Commissioner Morath closely observed classroom environments, including an English class at William James Middle School where seventh graders, many of whom are learning English as a second language, engaged in reading a poem. English teacher Nady Khalil guided his students with remarkable patience, demonstrating innovative teaching methods that aim to uplift student proficiency despite systemic challenges. These observations provided the commissioner with firsthand insights into the daily realities and the dedicated efforts of Fort Worth schools’ educators.
A poignant moment occurred when student Angelo, an immigrant from Uganda, recited lines from a group poem that declared, “We like to play soccer. Mr. Khalil is from Egypt. Angelo is from Uganda. We go to WJMS. We are one world.” This simple yet powerful declaration underscored the diverse and resilient spirit within FWISD, showcasing the human element behind the performance data. Such instances of student progress, however small, are vital signs in the ongoing debate about the district’s capacity for self-improvement and the effectiveness of current education reform initiatives.
FWISD Superintendent Karen Molinar welcomed Commissioner Morath, expressing appreciation for his direct engagement with students and highlighting the district’s strategic actions already yielding positive outcomes. While overall progress in STAAR and accountability grades has been encouraging, significant hurdles remain. Notably, James and Leonard Middle Schools have received their fourth consecutive ‘F’ grade, pushing the district perilously close to triggering state intervention laws for a second time.
Teachers like Nady Khalil remain a beacon of hope, sharing personal accounts of remarkable student improvements over the past year—more so than in his previous eleven years as an educator in the district. Khalil attributes some of this success to new initiatives, such as the block schedules implemented in middle schools, which double the instructional time for reading and math. He passionately advocated for “another chance, another year,” underscoring the belief that current reforms need more time to fully materialize and genuinely improve school accountability.
However, Morath articulated the clear mandate of Texas law: a school failing five consecutive years must be closed, or the elected board of trustees must be replaced. Fort Worth ISD preemptively closed a failing campus that had previously triggered the law, demonstrating a proactive stance to avert a full-scale takeover. A final decision on the broader state intervention, which could mirror the extensive overhaul seen in Houston’s district in 2023, is expected within the next three months.
The commissioner openly criticized the district’s historical lack of consistent leadership and shifting priorities over the past two decades, attributing the current predicament to these inconsistencies. Morath stressed that the level of student proficiency in Fort Worth is significantly lower compared to similar environments across the state, implying a systemic issue that local leadership has failed to adequately address. This disparity is a key factor weighing heavily on his final determination regarding the FWISD state takeover.
State Board of Education member Brandon Hall, representing parts of Fort Worth, also toured the schools, observing teachers’ dedicated efforts to improve student outcomes. While encouraged by the commitment shown by educators, Hall acknowledged the complexity of the situation and Morath’s difficult position. He emphasized the paramount need to “do what’s best for the students,” reflecting the deep concern shared by local and state officials about the struggling children in Fort Worth ISD.
As the day concluded, Morath departed in Superintendent Molinar’s SUV, the final leg of his journey symbolically mirroring the district’s uncertain path. The ride with district leaders solidified the gravity of the impending decision, with the Commissioner holding the ultimate authority to chart Fort Worth ISD’s next direction. The entire community awaits his judgment, recognizing its profound implications for the future of public education in the region.
