What will happen to Fort Worth Superintendent Karen Molinar following takeover?

It’s unknown whether Fort Worth Superintendent Karen Molinar will keep her job after the state announced a takeover of the school district.

In an enforcement letter to the district dated Thursday morning, Texas Education Commissioner Mike Morath said he plans to review prospective candidates before appointing a superintendent. Molinar will be one of the candidates included in that review, he said. State law requires that Morath appoint a superintendent, along with a board of managers who will replace the elected school board during takeover.

“I will announce my decision on the superintendent appointment in future correspondence, after completing a review of prospective superintendent candidates, with such review including the district’s current superintendent as a candidate,” he said in his letter.

Molinar was hired in March after doing the job on an interim basis following the resignation of Angélica Ramsey. She has spent 26 years in the district.

More than 60 schools moved up a letter grade in the latest A-F scores the state released for Fort Worth ISD in August, and there were about a third as many F-rated campuses as last year. At the time, Molinar credited the gains to progress at the end of last school year.

The Houston superintendent lost his job when the state took over that district in 2023. He was replaced by former Dallas Superintendent Mike Miles.

The district may appeal the decision. Morath said he plans to appoint the board of managers and the superintendent after the appeals process.

This story was originally published October 23, 2025 at 11:20 AM.