Florida educators say TEA’s pick for Fort Worth ISD chief is a ‘leader you want’
When Peter Licata was hired as the superintendent of Broward County (Florida) Public Schools in June 2023, he made it a point to schedule regular meetings with education groups. One of those scheduled meetings was with the Broward County Parent Teacher Student Association.
Bernie Kemp, president of the Broward County PTSA, said the meetings were essential in making sure parents, teachers and Licata were on the same page with what was working and what needed to improve in the district.
“He was friendly, reached out to the community, and initiated meetings with heads of parent groups and district committees,” Kemp told the Star-Telegram. “He gathered input at these meetings about the needs of the parents, community and students. He was interested in increasing the involvement of parents/families in the education of their children.”
But Kemp said Licata was not in the district long enough to implement any of his proposals. He resigned in April 2024 — just 10 months after being hired. He cited his health as the reason why.
The Texas Education Agency tapped Licata as superintendent of Fort Worth school district on March 24 as part of its takeover after a campus received five consecutive years of failing grades in the state’s annual accountability ratings. That triggered a Texas law allowing the TEA commissioner to replace the existing school board with a state-appointed Board of Managers and name a new superintendent.
Despite a short tenure in Broward, education groups, faculty and parents in the district have largely spoken positively about Licata and his ability to connect with the community and improve district performance.
Lori Alhadeff, a Broward County school board member and CEO of Make Our Schools Safe, a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping teachers and students safe in schools, said Licata is someone who will maintain an unwavering commitment to students in Fort Worth.
“Having had the opportunity to work closely with Dr. Peter Licata during his time leading Broward County Public Schools, I saw firsthand his unwavering commitment to students and his ability to lead with both heart and accountability,” Alhadeff said. “Peter is a relationship-driven leader who listens, builds trust, and isn’t afraid to make tough decisions in the best interest of children.”
In the early part of his tenure at Fort Worth ISD, Licata has spoken repeatedly about his commitment to transparency. At the district’s first board meeting since the state takeover, parents pressed new leadership on their desire for a transparent board. The first board agenda included vague items about the suspension of previous board policies, which turned into a major talking point during a public comment session.
Former elected board President Roxanne Martinez was one of several who told the board during the public comment session that she is already concerned about its transparency. Licata and new board President Pete Geren assured Martinez and others that the issues with the meeting agenda would not happen again.
“It will not happen again,” Geren said. “It is apparent to me that we did not make them easily available to those who sought to find them on the agenda. They are a matter of public record, but for transparency, we are not going to let that happen again.”
Bernadette Standish, principal at Congress Middle School in Palm Beach, Florida, and a former student of Licata’s, said that transparency is one of Licata’s strong suits, and that people in Fort Worth have a strong leader at the helm who will keep them in the loop.
“Licata leads with both high expectations, transparency and genuine care for students and staff,” Standish said. “Having seen his leadership up close, I can say he is deeply committed to creating schools where all students have the opportunity to succeed.”
Licata is tasked with turning around the struggling district, which had D in the state’s 2025 accountability ratings, and 77 campuses had a D or F. More than 60 schools in the district moved up a letter grade in the latest A-F scores the state released last August, and there were a third as many F-rated campuses as 2024. But the district still had 11 F-rated campuses, down from 31 in 2024.
Twenty campuses have had unacceptable ratings for at least two years. Eight schools have three consecutive ratings years of failing grades from 2023-2025: William James Middle School, Morningside Middle School, Wedgwood Middle School, Leonard Middle School, Eastern Hills Elementary, WM Green Elementary, Edward Briscoe Elementary and Clifford Davis Elementary.
Joshua Davidow, principal of Boca Raton Community High School in the School District of Palm Beach County, where Licata worked before Broward, said Licata has the skill set to turn a struggling district around through his ability to execute improvements at the classroom level.
“Dr. Licata is a leader who develops people and builds strong systems that support student success,” Davidow said. “I’ve seen firsthand how he mentors educators, holds high standards, and drives meaningful improvement. Fort Worth is gaining a leader who understands the big picture.”
Licata is under a temporary 21-day contract until a more permanent one is agreed upon at the district’s next board meeting, which will take place on April 28. Licata was also granted a superintendent certification waiver to make him eligible for the job since he does not have the proper Texas certification. The waiver is valid for three years, but Licata is expected to pursue his Texas license before that, he said during the district’s March 31 meeting.
At that meeting, Licata told the board and members in attendance that his two biggest areas of focus as he embarks on the job are student outcomes and improved transparency from the district.
Jay Boggess, who worked with Licata for several years at Palm Beach County School District and is now the president of Jupiter Christian School, said Licata is equipped with the tools to lead a struggling district toward improvement because of his commitment to student outcomes.
“I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Licata during a period of real progress, and what stood out was his ability to bring clarity, vision and direction to complex challenges,” Boggess said. “He’s exactly the kind of leader you want when meaningful change is needed. He sets high expectations and keeps his focus on students.”
Staff Writer Lina Ruiz contributed to this report.
Editor’s note: Pete Geren is the president and chief executive officer of the Sid W. Richardson Foundation, which is a funder of the Star-Telegram’s Crossroads Lab. The Star-Telegram retains independence in all coverage decisions.
