Latest news with #FortWorthIndependentSchoolDistrict
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Fort Worth ISD reveals new lesson structures to help improve academic performance
As students in the Fort Worth Independent School District wrap up their last week of school, Superintendent Karen Molinar revealed details about how classroom lessons will be structured upon their return to school in the fall. Molinar gave a presentation to the school board on Tuesday, May 20, of Fort Worth ISD's new instructional framework that will go into effect in the 2025-26 school year for literacy and math. The framework is one of the components of the district's effort to turn around its stagnant academic performance. The goal is to promote consistency in the classroom and reduce planning time for teachers while keeping their autonomy intact. Beyond literacy and math, the framework will apply to all subjects for kindergarten through eighth grade, Molinar said. A framework for high school lessons is in the works. Molinar explained in-depth the three parts of the instructional framework: first teach; demonstration of learning; and reteach and challenge. First teach, the initial layer of instruction known as tier one instruction, includes addressing gaps students have in prerequisite skills, adjusting what students are learning or how they're learning it, and using techniques that allow students to participate and share their thinking during a lesson. 'Regardless of where they come in at, that first teach always has to be at grade level. If they're reading on a second-grade level, but they're in the third grade, they're always going to receive that third-grade instruction,' Molinar said. The second part, demonstration of learning, consists of no more than five questions that are aligned with the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, exam to gauge what students took away from the lesson. The final reteach and challenge block involves grouping students based on how they performed with their demonstration of learning to receive additional support if needed. Students who 'meet' or 'master' the material do enrichment activities to further their learning. District officials will provide teachers with lesson slide decks and questions for the demonstrations of learning to be used as guides during class time. The slide decks and lesson materials will be linked together in one place through an online portal. 'The lesson planning is done for the teachers. The delivery is the autonomy of the teacher,' Molinar said. 'Teachers are now going to be able to plan weeks in advance and really be able to adjust.' Molinar also presented a funding overview for various options of reading and math curriculum approved by the State Board of Education, which included the Bluebonnet Learning curriculum. Bluebonnet's literacy curriculum has sparked controversy for its Bible-infused reading materials. Molinar focused on the math portion of the Bluebonnet curriculum, including a presentation slide with bullet points explaining why it was 'a better choice for Fort Worth ISD.' Among the examples she mentioned were its instructional support for teachers, emergent bilingual students and students who previously have struggled with math. It also replicates the district's current curriculum, Eureka Math and Carnegie Learning, so teachers won't have to learn an entirely new curriculum. 🚨 More top stories from our newsroom: → Fort Worth ISD board approves plan to close 18 schools → TCU student murder case moves toward trial → Mansfield ISD board approves superintendent's contract [Get our breaking news alerts.] The school board approved the adoption and roughly $2 million purchase of the Bluebonnet Learning math curriculum later on in the meeting, in an 8-0 vote without discussion. School board member Wallace Bridges was absent. 'If there's a better resource for our students, and we're getting funding from the state, it's our obligation to put that in front of them and to make sure our teachers have the best curriculum and the best resources for our students,' Molinar said. Molinar also shared the district's update for dyslexia screening, which includes adding another screening for seventh-grade students. When students are taking their beginning-of-the-year MAP test, middle schools will do screening for seventh-graders identified by the district. By the end of the first six weeks of school, or Sept. 19, families will be given a data analysis of their child's screening with a literacy support plan. Students suspected of having dyslexia, or other disabilities under the umbrella of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, will be evaluated by district staff within 45 school days of staff receiving parental consent to do the evaluation.
Yahoo
20-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Here's who's on the ballot for Fort Worth ISD's District 9 school board seat
Fort Worth Independent School District board President Roxanne Martinez faces off against Robyne Kelly, a retired flight attendant and substitute teacher, for the District 9 school board seat. Martinez, who is wrapping up her first term on the board, touted her experience as a board member during a time of challenges and transitions. Kelly pledged to fight for a quality public education for all students. Early voting runs from April 22-April 29 for the May 3 election. Here's what to know: Age: 44 Campaign website: Best way for voters to reach you: Email: info@ Occupation: Marketing Consultant Education: Diamond Hill-Jarvis High School (FWISD); Bachelor of Science in Journalism/Communications from University of Florida; Graduate Certificate in Marketing Management from University of Dallas Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years) Yes, I am the current FWISD School Board Trustee District 9; Elected in 2021 Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Fort Worth. My civic involvement and engagement includes: Past board service with Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Hispanic Women's Network of Texas Fort Worth Chapter, Fort Worth Community Action Partners Council and Diamond Hill Jarvis Heritage Foundation. I have previously served as chair of the Tarrant County Cancer Disparities Coalition, on the marketing committee for Girls Inc. of Tarrant County and as a member of the City of Fort Worth Race & Culture Task Force. I have completed the SteerFW Keyholders program and a Leadership ISD fellowship. I currently lead the Diamond Hill North Side Youth Association and serve as a volunteer for Artes de la Rosa Cultural Center, Diamond Hill Community Center and Riverside Community Center back to school programs. Prior to being elected, I was an active Fort Worth ISD parent volunteer; DHJ Athletics Booster Club president, District Advisory Committee member and served on the site-based decision making committees for two neighborhood schools. Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: Yes, filed bankruptcy in 2015 (due to medical expenses - cancer) Who are your top three campaign contributors? Patricia Martinez; Rosa Najevar; Steven Poole Why are you seeking this office? As a product of Fort Worth ISD and a parent in the district, I truly believe that every student should have the opportunity to succeed. Under my leadership, the Fort Worth ISD Board adopted a strategic plan that prioritizes student achievement and places a renewed focus on literacy. But there's still more work to do. With the right Superintendent now in place, I want to continue the work to move the district forward and toward success. If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be? If re-elected, my top three priorities include: improving student achievement, specifically around literacy rates; managing financial sustainability through the adoption of a strategic budget and master facilities plan, and promoting transparency/communication that restores trust among parents, teachers, staff and stakeholders. How will you measure your success as a district trustee? As a district trustee, I measure my success based on our collective success as a district, specifically the progress we make toward our comprehensive district goals. I will also measure my own success as a trustee on how I personally contribute toward those top priorities that I have listed. Why should voters choose you over your opponent? What sets me apart from my opponent is my proven board experience and steady leadership. Over the past four years, I've helped guide our district through some challenging times — from the COVID pandemic to leadership transitions — always with a focus on what's best for students. As a product of Fort Worth ISD and a parent in the district, I bring a student-centered perspective shaped by firsthand experience. I'm present on campuses, engaged in the community, and I listen. Parents, students, and staff know they can count on me to be accessible and responsive — whether it's through social media, in person at events, or by email. Fort Worth ISD has declared literacy as its main priority. What strategies would you like to see the district adopt to boost reading scores? If re-elected, I will continue to support the Superintendent's literacy initiatives, advocate for the adoption of a literacy-focused budget and hold the Superintendent accountable for student outcomes, specifically when it comes to literacy. As an ambassador for the district, I will work to build and foster community partnerships that support literacy goals and enhance educational opportunities for students. Besides literacy, what other issues do you consider priorities for Fort Worth ISD, and how would you address them? Financial sustainability and improved transparency should also be priorities for the district. The board can address these priorities through implementation of good governance, adoption of a strategic budget, completion of a master facilities plan, and effective communication with stakeholders. Improvement in these key areas will improve issues around declining enrollment, stakeholder mistrust and retention of great teachers and staff. Age: 58 Campaign website: Best way for voters to reach you: Occupation: Substitute teacher/retired Flight Attendant Education: B.A. in Speech Communications from Texas A & M University, College Station, TX M.S. in Journalism from Texas Christian University, Fort Worth, TX Have you run for elected office before? (Please list previous offices sought, with years) No Please list the highlights of your civic involvement/activism in the city of Fort Worth. Fort Worth Public Arts | Art Commissioner Minority and Women's Business Enterprise Advisory Committee | Fort Worth member Volunteer Deputy Registrar | Tarrant County Leadership Fort Worth | 2010 United Way of Tarrant County | Blueprint for Board Service United Riverside Neighborhood Association | member Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. | 38-years member Have you ever been arrested, charged with a crime or otherwise been part of a criminal proceeding? If yes, please explain: No Have you been involved in a civil lawsuit or bankruptcy proceeding? If yes, please explain: Civil lawsuit - topiary removal Who are your top three campaign contributors? Family, friends and neighbors/about $2000 to date Why are you seeking this office? I believe in public education. And I want great public education for all students. If elected, what would your top 3 policy priorities be? Literacy, Mathematics and Transportation. How will you measure your success as a district trustee? The FWISD will continue to increase literacy scores, marrying the philosophy of motivated teachers with concerned parents to inspire the students. Why should voters choose you over your opponent? I am the candidate to fight for public education for all students. I believe in the existence of public education and its greatness. Fort Worth ISD has declared literacy as its main priority. What strategies would you like to see the district adopt to boost reading scores?Besides literacy, what other issues do you consider priorities for Fort Worth ISD, and how would you address them? I'm referencing an article, entitled 'The Top Ten Science of Reading Strategies in 2024, in my answer. 1. Phonemic Awareness 2. Phonics 3. Vocabulary 4. Fluency 5. Comprehension
Yahoo
12-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Fort Worth ISD school board hires Karen Molinar for superintendent position
The Fort Worth Independent School District's board voted Tuesday to hire longtime district administrator Karen Molinar to do the job she's been doing on an interim basis for five months — superintendent of schools. Molinar, a 26-year veteran of Fort Worth ISD, was appointed interim superintendent on Oct. 8, about a week after Superintendent Angélica Ramsey's resignation. Tuesday's 8-0 vote came nearly a month after the board voted to name Molinar the lone finalist for the job. At a news conference after Tuesday's vote, Molinar said improving academic performance, particularly in reading, would be her top priority. Literacy will remain the district's top priority until it closes the achievement gaps for Black students and students who are learning English, and until the district doesn't lag behind the rest of the state on state tests. Molinar acknowledged that the district has a long way to go to reach those goals. For the past several years, Fort Worth ISD has consistently been the lowest-performing big urban district in Texas. But in the district and elsewhere, there are examples of schools that have helped Black students and those who are learning English make progress, she said. She pointed to Alice Contreras and De Zavala elementary schools in Fort Worth ISD as bright spots in the district. By looking at what those campuses and successful schools in other districts are doing right, district leaders can replicate those ideas elsewhere, she said. As district leaders and board members work on a budget for the next school year, they'll also be reallocating money to give more support to the district's reading programs, Molinar said. District leaders are already looking at summer training programs for principals and assistant principals in how to handle reading instruction, she said. 'We have a long way to go — a very long way to go,' she said. Molinar has made reading a priority since taking over as interim superintendent. At the first board meeting after she took the interim job, she spoke frankly about the district's shortcomings, saying the district was at risk of another year of lackluster academic progress if teachers and district leaders didn't act immediately. Among other steps, she announced a plan to send central office staff out into the district to work with students who need extra support. At a meeting in January, the board adopted a resolution naming literacy as its top priority and directing the superintendent to put together a plan to get students up to grade level in reading. During a news conference before the meeting, Molinar said literacy rates represent a crisis in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. She outlined the early details of a plan to get students on track, including developing a district-wide framework for how schools handle literacy instruction, aligning budgets and school resources behind literacy priorities and monitoring students' progress. Fort Worth ISD's reading scores have been stagnant for more than a decade. The percentage of students scoring on grade level in reading on the state test has generally hovered between 28-33% since 2014. More than half the district's fourth- and eighth-graders scored below basic proficiency in reading on last year's National Assessment of Educational Progress, commonly known as the Nation's Report Card. That designation means those students haven't even partially mastered the skills they need to be proficient readers. 🚨 More top stories from our newsroom: → Sheriff blames clerical error for failure to report jail death to AG → Suspect accused of killing roommate arrested after police chase → Grief lasts for mom who lost daughter to domestic violence [Get our breaking news alerts.] During the public comment section of Tuesday's meeting, Steven Poole, executive director of United Educators Association, said Molinar's hiring represented 'the first time in a very long time' that he felt hopeful for the district. Poole said the Fort Worth ISD teachers in his organization represents support her hiring, as well. Poole pointed to the board meeting in late August when Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker spoke to the board, calling for a city-wide effort to boost academic performance in the district. Without steady board leadership, the district could easily have spun out of control, he said. But instead, the board found an effective leader in Molinar, he said. Molinar's experience as a teacher and administrator in Fort Worth ISD gives her credibility with teachers and staff in the district, he said. 'She doesn't need to go on a listening tour,' he said. 'They know her and she knows them.'
CBS News
04-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
Examining the literacy challenge at Fort Worth ISD: Behind the grade, inside two schools
The Fort Worth Independent School District is a district fighting to overcome a revolving door of superintendents, student flight, a multimillion-dollar deficit, and a literacy crisis reflected in STAAR test results. Almost two months ago, the Board of Trustees passed a strategic reading plan to help boost academic progress. However, the work toward literacy was happening in the classroom before the plan. CBS News Texas went into two FWISD elementary schools to find the story behind the literacy challenge: Edward J. Briscoe and Alice Contreras Elementary schools. The facilities are within fifteen minutes of each other. "We call ourselves, for a very long time, the wonderful world of Briscoe," Devona Burgess said. Burgess is the principal at Briscoe. She said her school has successes in reading, the school's culture, classroom learning, and excellence. "It's a culture of excellence here. And so that's why we say we're the best. It's not to be arrogant. It's to describe our core values," she said. The internal victories may be hard to see, primarily if you focus on the outcome of their STAAR tests. The Texas Education Agency released results showing an "F" for the school for the past two years. But the release doesn't give the complexity of Burgess' challenge as a school leader. Her school population is less than 250 students. Briscoe's student body is 74% African-American, 34% Emerging Bilingual, and 20% Hispanic. Burgess said they have identified 18 different languages on campus. The top five languages at Briscoe are English, Swahili, Arabic, Kinyarwanda (spoken in the Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda), and Spanish, all at a school not deemed a dual language institution. "Our students are acquiring language. And so some students are able to read. However, it may not look like grade-level reading yet," Burgess said. Less than 15 minutes away is Alice Contreras Elementary School. Amelia Cortes Rangel has been the school leader for seven years. The school leader recalls arriving at Contreras with a "D" rating. She said they dug in hard and had tough conversations. "When I shared the data with our teachers, I also showed pictures of kids. And I think that was a good turning point for all of us," Cortes Rangel said. In 2022, the school rose to an "A" rating. Last year, students went from a C to a B at Contreras. Behind the data is a student body that's 94% Hispanic, 4% African-American, and 1% white. Some still have literacy issues. "Why is a student struggling with reading? It's not as simple as, to me personally, like math. I can see, 'oh, it's a procedural right here,' right?" Cortes Rangel said. "Here, we have to look at different factors. Is it because they need more phonemic awareness? Is it that they're not listening, like rhyming? That's a key indicator, too, right? Is it fluency?" The elementary schools have multiple internal metrics to measure students' progress even before they go into high-stakes testing. "We use multiple data points to inform us to see the — look for trends, to see if this is just a fluke on that day, or is this student truly struggling with this specific concept," Burgess said. "We have dips — and then we have a lot of increases, especially in my third grade, which is a focus grade." Cortes Rangel can identify with her students who are challenged by reading. She walked in the same shoes as a first-grader because her father allowed the school leader to drop out of kindergarten. A teacher, she said, made the difference. "If she didn't pull me to small group to teach me how to read, to do everything, I may have continued going to second grade as a non-reader,' she said. "So, it makes me emotional to think that. So that is why we are here committed to make sure we have success stories for all of our students." Cortes Rangel even bought the first book she learned to read, "Fue Carmelita." It's reflective of her family make-up, but it's the keepsake that keeps her motivated. Burgess said her students will succeed. The determination to make it happen brought her to tears. "Because I love this school. I love my kids. I love this place. And what I get to do, yes, it's difficult work, but it's worth it. It's worth it every day. It's worth it," Burgess said.
