04-05-2025
Election updates: Fort Worth ISD school board incumbents win reelection
Voters upheld the status quo for the Fort Worth school board as a spotlight has intensified on the district through scrutiny of its academic performance and ensuing efforts to improve its stagnant test scores.
Camille Rodriguez, Michael Ryan and Roxanne Martinez won their races, according to unofficial results from Tarrant County.
In District 1, Rodriguez defeated Amanda Inay with 53.37% of the vote. In District 7, Ryan defeated Terry Roach with 75.63% of the vote. In District 9 Martinez defeated Robyne Kelly with 73.54% of the vote.
Wallace Bridges and Anael Luebanos ran unopposed in their races. As there were only two candidates in the other district races, there will be no runoff election.
Constituents weighed in at the conclusion of a hectic school year that was shaped by a public call-out by Mayor Mattie Parker for the district to turn around its test scores that have trailed behind other Texas urban districts for roughly a decade.
Former Superintendent Angélica Ramsey's resignation was accepted by the school board about a month later in late September, and long-time district employee and administrator Karen Molinar took over the position in the interim and permanently.
Over the course of the 2024-25 school year, which ends on May 22, the school board declared improving student literacy as its top priority and approved a strategic plan with specific goals for improving grade-level performance over the next five years.
The board is also developing a budget that will invest more than $22.7 million into student literacy. A master facilities plan with proposals for school closures is also on the horizon and could be voted on as early as this school year.
An additional challenge that incumbents might have to contend with is a potential state takeover by the Texas Education Agency.
A-F accountability grades from 2023, recently released by the agency after it was barred from releasing the scores due to a lawsuit, revealed a failing grade for the Leadership Academy at Forest Oak Sixth Grade for the fifth year in a row.
It remains to be seen what action TEA might take, as that campus closed last year due to declining enrollment and its students were transferred to Forest Oak Middle School.
The most competitive school board race was seen in District 1 between Rodriguez — a podiatrist who previously served on the board from 2004-2008 and rejoined the board in 2022 after the resignation of her predecessor — and newcomer Inay.
Inay was Fort Worth ISD district teacher of the year in 2022-23 and now teaches at Rocketship Dennis Dunkins Elementary.
Although Rodriguez held on to her seat, Inay spent almost eight times as much money on her campaign — $16,500 — compared to Rodriguez's $2,100 price tag.
Inay received endorsements from former Fort Worth Mayor Betsy Price and the United Educators Association, and Rodriguez was endorsed by Texas Rep. Ramon Romero, Jr., a Democrat from Fort Worth.
Rodriguez had accused Inay of illegal campaign activity, which Inay has denied.
The Tarrant County Sheriff's Office has not responded to multiple inquiries by the Star-Telegram asking whether officials had investigated or are investigating Rodriguez's claims.
Staff writer Lillie Davidson contributed reporting.
