Fort Worth ISD is committed to working with city leaders, school board president says
The president of the Fort Worth Independent School District’s board said the district is committed to partnering with the city to deal with challenges the district is facing.
At a school board meeting Tuesday, Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker publicly pushed board members to do more to improve stagnant academic performance, calling for a “bold, unified approach” to turn the district around.
In a statement, board President Roxanne Martinez, who took over the gavel at Tuesday’s meeting, said she appreciates Parker’s support and commitment, and said the district is committed to working with city leaders to make Fort Worth ISD “the school district that our children and families expect and that we can all be proud of.”
“Together, we can rise to the challenges before us and strengthen our public education system for the betterment of our students, families, and community,” Martinez said.
Martinez pointed to the district’s newly developed strategic plan as one tool to drive student achievement and hold school leaders accountable for the district’s performance. The district started the new school year without a strategic plan in place after the board rejected a proposed plan earlier this month. District officials expect to bring another proposal before the board in September.
Martinez’s comments come in response to a letter sent to school board members by Parker laying out her concerns of where the school district has fallen behind and what actions she thinks the district needs to take to improve its academic performance. Parker cites examples of the district lagging behind academically in comparison to other urban school districts such as Dallas ISD and Houston ISD, calling on officials to create ambitious student achievement goals in addition to conducting audits of budget priorities and personnel.
The Star-Telegram reached out to all nine school board members for comment. Michael Ryan and Kevin Lynch deferred to Martinez. Wallace Bridges, Anne Darr, Tobi Jackson, Anael Luebanos, Quinton Phillips and Camille Rodriguez didn’t respond.
Fort Worth ISD superintendent acknowledges challenges
Fort Worth ISD Superintendent Angélica Ramsey said in a statement that the district is grateful to Parker and other community leaders for their commitment to improving Fort Worth ISD. She reiterated Parker’s point about working collaboratively to achieve growth and “ensure that every student receives the high-quality education they deserve.”
Ramsey acknowledged that the district isn’t where its leaders would like to be in terms of student achievement. She said she expects to present the district’s school ratings, its instructional focus and student achievement indicators at a board workshop next month.
“This is the reason I came to FWISD — to realize the potential of every student and the district. I am committed to making FWISD an outstanding school district,” Ramsey said.
She also noted that the district’s driving force continues to be “delivering excellent Tier one instruction so that all students can reach their highest potential.” Tier one instruction refers to the baseline of all students receiving instruction on core curriculum.
“We are One Fort Worth, united in purpose. By maintaining a strong, collaborative relationship with the city, we can overcome challenges and build a brighter future for our students and our community,” she said. “Together, we will create the educational excellence that Fort Worth’s children and families deserve.”
UEA chief welcomes mayor’s comments
Steven Poole, executive director of the United Educators Association, said he was happy to see Parker weigh in on the need for change in the district. He’s hopeful that her comments will help rally broader public support for education. That community support will be critical if the district hopes to turn itself around, he said.
“School districts can’t do it alone,” he said. “They need the support of businesses, nonprofits, parents, the community and our city government. And so for the mayor to speak out as forcefully as she did sends a strong message.”
Poole said the district needs to improve its academic outcomes, which will help reverse its enrollment declines. District leaders also need to do more to support teachers, he said. Good teachers are leaving the district in large numbers, which affects the quality of instruction students get, he said.
Poole said he’s never seen a mayor weigh in on education issues as forcefully as Parker did Tuesday. Mayors in Texas have no formal role in the education system, although they can advocate for schools and partner with school districts. The fact that Parker chose to get involved is a sign of how dire things have become in the district, Poole said.
“We have to do something different in this district,” he said. “And hopefully, this is the impetus for it.”
Parker’s call to action included an offer to provide city resources where needed, alongside contributions from multiple community organizations and members that signed onto Parker’s letter in support. Some of the signees include Trenace Dorsey-Hollins of Parent Shield Fort Worth; Estella Williams of the Fort Worth-Tarrant County branch of the NAACP; Robert Ahdieh of Texas A&M University School of Law; and Brent Beasley of the Fort Worth Education Partnership.
“Those undersigned, and countless others, stand ready to continue to provide the resources necessary to see that Fort Worth’s flagship school district is the best urban school district in Texas and, ultimately, the nation,” Parker said. “Together, we can create a future where our city continues to thrive, and every Fort Worth family can confidently choose our public schools, knowing their children will receive a world-class education. Thank you for your dedication to serving on the school board. Let us seize this moment to lead Fort Worth to new heights, together.”
This story was originally published August 28, 2024 at 4:41 PM.
