by When federal officials recently unfrozen about $6.8 billion in national education funding, Fort Worth schools superintendent Karen Molinar exhaled with relief.
Fort Worth ISD was tied up for almost $10 million.District officials put a halt to mental health counseling and college preparation programs. They created strategies for carrying on services without the assistance of the federal government.
Molinar has not yet put those plans away. During a virtual press call with the advocacy group EdTrust in Texas on July 29, the superintendent talked about how Fort Worth changed course when funding stopped and what lies ahead for the district of 70,000 students.
According to Jonathan Feinstein, director of EdTrust for Texas, schools have not yet received the funds.
Molinar will not accept any new contracts until that time and intends to keep the impacted Fort Worth ISD position on hold. She plans to continue to exercise caution.
During the call, Molinar stated, “When it is released to us and we see it, we will be even more grateful.”
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Literacy prioritization relies on after-school programs
Throughout the spring and early summer, Molinar and district officials worked to make sure that literacy was incorporated into all 70 of the community’s after-school programs.
Since reading is the new school year’s main objective, they were thrilled to have that additional support. The programs’ federal funding was then stopped.
According to Molinar, administrators changed course and decided to sponsor after-school programs using general funding. “The stakes are not just academic,” she remarked.
It goes beyond enrichment. According to the superintendent, it’s also about our pupils’ safety.
Approximately 2% of Fort Worth ISD’s yearly funding comes from federal grants. According to Molinar, the entire school system was harmed by officials’ decision to withhold a portion of that funding.
As an example, she explained, bus routes were changed because the funding freeze affected middle school pupils’ before-school programs.
Funding freeze hit as new budget started
The funding freeze was implemented on July 1, the same day that Fort Worth ISD’s budget for the 2025–2026 school year began.
The goal of the budget was to increase reading achievement.
We had to change course right away, examine our overall budget, and make choices. Molinar stated, “We terminate contracts.”
Contracts with Girls Inc. of Tarrant County, Communities in Schools of Greater Tarrant County, and the Tarrant To & Through Partnership are among those that are impacted.
According to Molinar, all have an effect on the district’s goal of raising academic standards.
According to Feinstein, schools experienced significant disruptions as a result of the three-week federal funding halt.
“As they were getting ready to serve students in the new school year, schools had to scramble and revise budgets, staffing plans, and program offerings,” he stated during the call.
The future
The trustees of Fort Worth ISD approved a budget that was $43.6 million short. Molinar is unwilling to use reserves and go farther into the hole.
“Everything is frozen right now, unless it’s a general fund position,” she stated.
School administrators should expect additional battles over federal funding, according to EdTrust policy expert Nathan Kriha. According to him, the programs impacted by the moratorium could result in budget cuts in the future.
Molinar anticipates the same thing. Her administration is considering further budget cuts.
She stated that one issue will direct that process: Where do we need to get some of those dollars, but how can we maintain great partnerships that have an impact on our students?
For now, Molinar has a portion of the solution.
“We really can’t rely on that funding at this time,” she said.
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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