Keller schools superintendent may step down as board considers splitting district
Keller Superintendent Tracy Johnson will likely resign from her position at the school board’s regularly scheduled meeting on Jan. 30, according to the meeting’s agenda posted Monday afternoon.
“Consider and Take Possible Action on Superintendent Voluntary Separation Agreement,” the agenda item reads.
The following item says the board will name an interim superintendent.
The announcement comes as the board has dealt with vocal opposition to a proposal to split Keller ISD into two new districts.
At a special meeting of the board on Jan. 16, Johnson announced that she had already written up her letter of resignation and planned to submit it in the event that she was not in agreement with the board’s discussion during the closed-door session.
Joni Shaw Smith and Chelsea Kelly, the board members from Fort Worth who said they were “blindsided” by the plans to split the district, were caught off guard by the agenda item.
“I was once again blindsided to see this item added to the posted agenda, as it was not included in the agenda I reviewed with Dr. Johnson this morning,” Smith said. “I have no information about the reasoning behind this agenda item or any plans for interim leadership. I am devastated by this unexpected development and want to make it clear that I wholeheartedly support Dr. Johnson. She has consistently demonstrated a commitment to doing what is right for the students and the district. Dr. Johnson is the right leader for Keller ISD, and I firmly believe that her continued leadership is critical for our community.
“In light of the turmoil our community has faced, the best path forward for Keller ISD is stability. I cannot and will not support a leadership change at this time. Our students, staff, and families deserve steady, experienced guidance, and I remain committed to advocating for what is in the best interest of our district.”
In a Facebook post Kelly wrote she and Smith were in the dark once again.
“Why does this keep happening? It seems that Joni and I are no longer privy to discussions among the other trustees. We haven’t been provided with any details about the rationale behind this abrupt decision or who would serve as interim. We haven’t been asked for our input or given the opportunity to voice our concerns,” she wrote. “How can we effectively represent our community under these circumstances? In the short time I’ve worked with Dr. Johnson, she has shown her love for this district and her dedication to our students by consistently showing up for them. This is the worst possible time for a leadership change.”
Reached via email, Trustee Heather Washington told the Star-Telegram that she had also been unaware of the agenda item until it was released to the public.
The other trustees did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
The board initially didn’t want to disclose the plan publicly, because it is not going to make any decisions and members didn’t want to create a public outcry before discussing it, according to Fort Worth City council member Charlie Lauersdorf, who told the Star-Telegram that a board member told him so.
Public comments were overwhelmingly against splitting the district at that meeting. After receiving legal advice from the board’s lawyer in closed session, board President Charles Randklev said the proposal would be analyzed by the district’s public feedback committees.
The Star-Telegram reached out to Johnson via email and voicemail, but did not immediately receive a response.
Johnson started in the position on Jan. 1, 2024, after more than four years as the district’s chief human resources officer. Her term was set to expire on Dec. 31, 2027, according to her contract.
She began her educational career as a third-grade teacher and gifted and talented educator in the Northwest school district. She started her administrative career in the Grapevine-Colleyville school district and also worked in the Denton school district.
The news came as no surprise to parents who have opposed the board’s initiative.
“This board will stop at nothing, absolutely nothing, to make sure that they get their agenda pushed through to the school district,” said Laney Hawes, a regular at school board meetings and co-founder of the advocacy nonprofit Keller ISD Families for Public Education.
Randklev did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment. He did not answer a reporter’s questions when approached at the Jan. 16 meeting.
Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Johnson’s resignation was definite.
This story was originally published January 27, 2025 at 5:18 PM.
