Lake Worth parents concerned, skeptical as state takeover unfolds
Parents in the Lake Worth school district are largely skeptical about the Texas Education Agency’s planned takeover, with some unsure the state takeover can actually help lead to improved exam scores.
The TEA takeover, announced Dec. 11, was initiated when Marilyn Miller Language Academy received a fifth consecutive F rating, which means TEA commissioner Mike Morath is now able to name a replacement superintendent and appoint a board of managers to replace the school board.
“I think there are some parents that aren’t taking the time to properly evaluate their children,” said Kaylea Ponthier, the mother of a fourth grader at Effie Morris S.T.E.A.M. Academy. “You also need to think about things like, How are students being treated at home? Are their parents supporting them? Are they always doing their job? It’s not always just about what’s going on at the school itself.”
Overall, schools in the district had severely underperformed on STAAR exams. Only 22% of students across all grades and subjects met grade level on the most recent STAAR exam.
“Lake Worth ISD’s low level of student achievement is a long-standing issue, predating the COVID-19 disruptions, and has gotten worse recently,” Morath said in a news release last week announcing the takeover.
Five of the district’s six schools received F ratings in this year’s accountability scores. The only school that did not, Lake Worth High School, received a C. The district received an overall grade of D.
Morath sent a letter to Lake Worth leadership and school board members last week detailing a plan to appoint a board of managers to replace the school board, as well as a conservator who will oversee turnaround plans. Morath said he also plans to consider replacing superintendent Mark Ramirez, despite being a “big fan” of the work he has done attempting to improve student achievement. Ramirez just joined the district over the summer.
“If they had taken the steps to bring Dr. Ramirez in five years ago, I highly doubt we’d be having this conversation,” Morath said in a call with reporters last week.
Ponthier said her son previously struggled in school before he was on medication for ADHD. Since then, she describes him as an exemplary student who scores well on tests and is very motivated in the classroom. She wishes more students across the district had similar access to medication and other tools that improve the academic experience. But it’s not always on the school to make that happen — it starts at home, she said.
Ponthier also credits her son’s teachers at Effie Morris for guiding him through areas of instruction where he previously struggled, like long division and other math topics.
“I don’t think it’s the teacher’s fault at all for what’s going on in Lake Worth test score wise,” Ponthier said. “The teachers have been great. [My son] came home one day and said, ‘Mom, I finally understand math.’ And that’s because of the teachers that taught him the way they did. Now math is his favorite subject.”
Some parents, like Moriah Greathouse, are concerned with the TEA’s lack of communication and aren’t sure a state takeover can make a sizable difference. Greathouse said she did not hear directly from either the district or the TEA about the takeover. She instead found out through social media and word of mouth.
“At a minimum, families should have received a formal heads-up explaining what the takeover means, what changes to expect, and how it is intended to improve student outcomes,” said Greathouse, the mother of a third-grade student at Marine Creek Leadership Academy. “There has still been no communication, which is frustrating and leaves parents in the dark.”
Greathouse describes her child’s experience at Lake Worth as a mixed bag. She was content with the education they received in kindergarten but has grown more skeptical in recent years as her child has progressed through elementary school.
She also voiced concerns about the effectiveness of the school’s disciplinary tactics and the impacts it has on the school’s overall academic experience.
“The school’s disciplinary approach at MCLA included silent lunch and a loss of recess,” she said. “That results in children being isolated and sitting alone and not being allowed to release energy. We repeatedly requested that form of punishment not be used.”
Julie Rosato Ford has had children attend Lake Worth for the past 20 years. When she first heard the TEA was considering a state takeover, she pulled her 10th grade child out of the district and opted to homeschool them instead. She believes teachers need more pay and the freedom to teach what they choose without the stress of conforming to standardized testing subjects.
“You don’t improve districts by taking parents and families out of the equation,” Ford said. “I do truly believe this takeover is going to cause total and complete chaos. This removes local accountability and replaces it with decisions made far away from the classroom in Austin.”
TEA hopes to address those concerns and improve the district’s standing in the coming weeks and months. The process for the state takeover will include several public meetings to hear concerns. An informal review by the TEA is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. on Dec. 19 in Austin where the school district can present any information they view as relevant to the takeover decision.
An application period for the state-appointed board of directors will soon open and has a deadline of Jan. 31, according to the TEA website. Officials will conduct interviews with selected candidates before presenting a list of recommended candidates to Morath.
Despite the upcoming change, Ponthier believes the real issues aren’t inside the schools of Lake Worth, but in the homes of students where parent involvement needs to increase.
“[The TEA] can’t move mountains,” Ponthier said. “Like, I think mountains need to be moved here for us to see any real changes. I’m not sure they can actually make that happen.”
This story was originally published December 16, 2025 at 11:19 AM.
