As early academic accountability reports indicate improvement, Fort Worth schools are gaining pace, according to superintendent Karen Molinar.

Will it be sufficient to prevent a possible state takeover of the district, which has almost 70,000 students?

An early peek at Fort Worth ISD’s A-F school grades was provided on August 13; it revealed that the district was maintaining a C and that academic progress was being made in all schools. Full results for the state’s public schools will be made public by the Texas Education Agency on Friday.

According to FWISD’s announcement, Fort Worth saw a decrease in the number of F campuses from 31 to 11, while 63 schools maintained an A or improved by at least one letter grade.

Molinar gave a glimpse of the achievement on August 12, the first day of classes. Other noteworthy findings from the preliminary data are:

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• The district gained seven A-rated schools to now have 17.
• Nine schools moved from an F to a C.
• Mary Louise Phillips, Cesar Chavez, Versia Williams and D. McRae elementaries improved from an F to a B.

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According to a statement from Molinar, these initial successes demonstrate what can be achieved when communities, classrooms, and leadership are in sync. There is still more work to be done, and we are only beginning.

The superintendent celebrated the achievement by highlighting student-centered initiatives her administration has implemented to boost academic performance, such as reduced chronic absenteeism by 2029, a budget that prioritizes literacy, a strategic plan that calls for no failing schools, and a 20 percentage-point increase in third-grade reading and math proficiency.

We are discussing more than just change. Molinar remarked, “We’re making it happen.”

When Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath returns in September, school officials say they are prepared to showcase Fort Worth’s accomplishments.

A state legislation requiring Morath to think about district intervention was spurred by the closed FWISD campus’s continuous failing accountability grades. This fall, Morath is anticipated to decide whether to replace the elected board of Fort Worth ISD.

In early August, the commissioner stated his desire for the least disruptive decision to be made to the Texas Senate education committee.

The Fort Worth Report’s education editor is Jacob Sanchez. You can reach him at @_jacob_sanchez or at [email protected].

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FWISD touts more A-rated schools, academic progress in ratings. Is it enough to avoid state takeover?