Fort Worth ISD cuts employment policy for certain staff. Why some are worried.
A Fort Worth Independent School District policy that outlines the rights and legal procedures of certain employees has been almost completely redlined. Community members and attorneys are concerned about what that will mean for the job security of those employees in the 2026-27 school year.
The policy, DCE Local, now only states, “the superintendent may elect to employ on term contracts personnel not eligible for a contract under Chapter 21 of the Education Code.” The rest of the former policy — which spans about five pages long and addresses probationary periods, progressive discipline, appeals, hearings and more — was cut out on Tuesday night after the Board of Managers unanimously voted to delete the language.
There was no public discussion by the board before the item was approved. The board approved the change in a 7-0 vote with board members Frost Prioleau and Laurie George absent from the meeting.
During public comment at the meeting, a speaker who identified herself as a graduate from Fort Worth ISD’s Northside High School voiced her confusion and objection about cutting the board policy and called for transparency in what criteria the district would use when terminating an employee.
“I just don’t understand what you’re seeking. I think the intent is to give yourself unyielding power to terminate contracts as you wish. And I think that’s problematic,” she said.
District records state that non-Chapter 21 contracts do not carry the same procedural protections as Chapter 21 ones do. Chapter 21 contracts account for roles such as certified teachers, principals, counselors, librarians and full-time nurses. Education law attorneys told the Star-Telegram central administration staff or uncertified teachers can have these types of non-Chapter 21 contracts.
“The proposed revisions streamline the policy by removing detailed provisions that are not required at the board policy level and instead belong in individual employment contracts. These updates do not change or affect the rights of employees currently working under non-Chapter 21 contracts for the 2025–2026 school year,” according to the district records.
Attorney Giana Ortiz said she’s skeptical of the language being included in upcoming contracts.
“That is not the case in my experience, and those contracts look different from district to district and even from employee to employee. But the protections that you see stricken out in that policy for non-Chapter 21 employees, in my experience, do not reside in the contract,” Ortiz said. “I do infer that the administration is intending to remove protections around progressive discipline, employment decision-making and then hearings for those employees.”
A statement from Fort Worth ISD officials reiterated what was noted in district records.
“This policy change addresses the contract terms for employees who are not required to be employed under a Chapter 21 contract. These employees may be employed at-will (no contract). Alternatively, at the district’s discretion, these employees may be employed under a separate contract governed by this policy. The revisions streamline the policy by removing detailed provisions that are not required at the Board policy level and instead belong in individual employment contracts. The terms of the individual employment contract issued to the employee will address the rights of the employee related to due process and termination,” district officials said.
Steven Poole, executive director of the United Educators Association, noted in a statement that these types of contracts account for a small number of employees but still described the policy change as “concerning.”
“What the Board of Managers did (Tuesday) night doesn’t change the rights of teachers, nurses, counselors, or others with contracts mandated by state law. The Board of Managers can’t ignore state law when it comes to teachers’ rights. For the small number of employees who received employment contracts not mandated by state law, the board policy change is concerning since it is not clear what rights their employment contracts will have,” Poole said.
As of the 2023-24 school year, the latest data available, there were 48 uncertified teachers in Fort Worth ISD, which represents about 1% of the 4,493 teachers districtwide, according to the Texas Education Agency. A public information request recently filed by the Star-Telegram to Fort Worth ISD asking for numbers of central administration staff showed there were 1,425 non-campus staff in early April.
The policy change comes after the Board of Managers temporarily suspended a board policy that outlines similar rights and legal procedures for at-will employees at its March 31 meeting. Other board policies were also suspended at that time, including those that define the district’s employment practices and procedures for public meetings and setting agendas. It was the board’s first public meeting after the state-appointed managers replaced the elected school board amid a state takeover.
This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 5:00 AM.
