Fort Worth mayor endorses superintendent to stay on following state takeover
Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker threw her weight behind Fort Worth school Superintendent Karen Molinar to stay on the job following a state takeover of the school district.
Parker cited improvements in the district under Molinar’s leadership, saying she deserves to have a seat at the table as state Education Commissioner Mike Morath decides who will take over as superintendent.
“She’s not done yet. I think she still has her heart in the district, and wants to continue to be the superintendent,” Parker said.
Molinar took over as interim superintendent after Angélica Ramsey resigned in September 2024, and was given the job in March.
Under her leadership, the district saw a dramatic decline in the number of F-rated campuses, dropping from 31 in 2024 to less than a dozen at the beginning of the 2025 school year.
Despite her own preference for Molinar, Parker acknowledged Morath will have his own process to determine who ultimately takes over.
“He is an incredibly intelligent, accomplished individual who is leading education in the state of Texas,” Parker said speaking to reporters at City Hall on Thursday after Morath’s announcement that he would replace the school board and appoint a conservator and superintendent to oversee the district.
While Morath may have a different approach than she or others might take, Parker said the commissioner knows what he’s doing, and is making decisions with the best interest of the Fort Worth school district in mind.
“I’m confident we’re going to put the right superintendent in place. Right now, my chips are on Dr. Molinar,” Parker said.
Morath didn’t give a timeline for when he would appoint a new superintendent, but in his letter to the school district he said it would come after a review of prospective candidates including Molinar.
“She, with certainty, has earned an opportunity to interview for that role,” he said speaking to reporters at a Thursday morning press conference. “We’ve not made any decisions yet”
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